Moving Forward
by Penelopee13
Summary: Draco Malfoy is a Death Eater, a bully and a loving boyfriend? This is his version of sixth year, the war and post-Hogwarts with his long term girlfriend, Astoria Greengrass. Will they survive the war or will it tear them apart?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Draco's POV: Summer break of 1996 before 6th year

Astoria Greengrass, despite being under her sister's popular shadow for most of her life and the brunt of most of her father's abuse, caught my eye the moment we met when we were five years old. We grew up being a part of the 'Sacred Twenty-eight' Pure-blood families and our mothers always had us in the same social group. As children before Hogwarts, we spoke quite often and were good friends that is until I went off to school a year before Astoria with her sister, Daphne. Despite my promise to send her a letter each week via my owl, I was too caught up with my new life at school and wanted to gain friends that my mother didn't hand pick. The following year when Astoria was sorted into the Slytherin house, I gave her a quick peck on the cheek on the way to the dungeons and I could see what had happened was all but forgotten in her eyes. Two years later during the Triwizard Tournament, I finally got the courage to ask her out on a date to one of the restaurant in Hogsmeade which lead to a solid relationship for the next year. A few days ago and just a month before I begin my sixth year when I have forced to get the Dark Mark branded into my arm. I have yet to send the letter that I wrote to her saying that we had to break up due to my own selfish reasons to keep her as mine for a little while longer.

 _Oh just do it!_ I tell myself and fold the letter up sealing it in an envelope to write her name on the front with a sigh. I take it with me downstairs to Father's office—practically abandoned since he's been in Azkaban—where my owl, Zeus likes to stay and stroke his head holding the letter out for him to take in his beak. "Take it straight to Tori and don't let her send anything back."

I watch as the eagle owl flies out of the open window into the rainy night and when I no longer can see him, I turn to head straight back up to my room. I flop down on the green coverings of my bed and groan into the mattress knowing deep down that I am giving up the best relationship I probably will ever have. Astoria, with her golden blonde hair that catches in the sunlight on our dates to Hogsmeade, bright green eyes that was the first thing I noticed about her, her odd interests for certain Muggle ways that surprisingly doesn't repulse me, her love for art…

I groan again pointing my wand the fireplace to start a fire and get up from my bed to sit down at my desk that overlooks the grounds of the Malfoy estate. I flip open one of the books that I recently bought for the upcoming school year I am dreading and try to let the words distract me from my girlfriend well, ex-girlfriend. After rereading the first three pages a few times, I slam the book shut and rub my eyes tiredly from not sleeping well for the past week. I hold in a groan as I see the fires flames turn emerald green from Floo powder and turn to see a very angry looking Astoria stepping out of my fireplace.

"You break up with me in a bloody letter?" She exclaims shaking the letter in one hand and her wand in the other staring at me.

"You don't understand, Tori." I mutter and stand up from the chair at my desk running a hand through my normally smooth hair.

"Enlighten me then!" She hisses at me and tosses her wand on my bed crossing her arms over her chest.

I take a deep breath and walk over to close the door to my bedroom locking before leading Astoria to sit at the end of my bed. "What I am about to show you doesn't leave this house, understood?"

"Yes, Draco." She says her bright green eyes showing her fear and I hate myself for what I had to show her. I slowly start to roll up my left shirtsleeve and keep my eyes down when I hear her gasp shocked when she reaches to brush her fingers along the black lines of the Mark. "Oh Merlin…"

"Astoria, we can't be together anymore…" I say bitterly and pull my arm back out of her grasp hating to see the the tears formed in her eyes. "I wouldn't be able to bear it if something was to happen to you, love."

"Don't 'love' me, Draco Lucius Malfoy!" Astoria shouts at me suddenly and stands from my bed giving me a look so much like my mother I shudder. " _We_ are in a relationship and it will end when and if _we_ decide that _together_!"

"But this relationship could be destroyed if we stay together and the Dark Lord could hurt you or worse." I say grabbing her arms and look her in the eyes. "Get out while you can!"

"I don't want out, Draco! I am not frightened of getting hurt, I get hurt at home!" She says and steps closer to me taking my face in her hands, which are always cool. "Please don't do this to us, Draco! I-I don't care about your bloody mark, I care about you!"

"This bloody mark endangers not only me you as well if we stay together! This bloody mark turns me into the enemy, into a killer if I do the task I've been ordered to complete within the year!" I exclaim backing away from her gentle touch and turn toward the fireplace. I rest my hand on the mantle and lean into it wishing deep down that Astoria would just leave but in the next moment, I feel her arms wrap around me from behind. I heave a sigh and rest my free hand on hers lacing our fingers together to lift her palm to my lips.

"W-What do you mean a killer?" She asks her voice trembling slightly and I glare into the flames as my mind goes to the task that the Dark Lord has assigned to me.

"I can't tell you, Astoria." I say tensely and remember those cold red eyes as he swore me to silence making me feel that this relationship with Tori had to end but here she is convincing me otherwise.

"Draco, I know you…that mark doesn't make you a bad person." She says in a much calmer voice than before and I turn to face her seeing the sadness in her normally bright eyes. "Even if it does, I can't be without you…"

"Oh, Tori…" I mutter and turn to pull her into my arms pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Please, love…without you I have nowhere to run to when my father goes on one of his tirades." She says with a shudder and buries her face in my neck hugging to me tightly.

I frown knowing that on multiple occasions through the years during our school holidays she'd seek shelter here with me when her father would get too drunk and hurt her terribly. I run my fingers through her silky hair and hold her close to me unsure what to do in this moment. I sigh and lean back a bit gently cupping her face in my hands to make her look me in the eyes. "You have to make me a few promises and you have to keep them no matter what, Astoria Catherine Greengrass."

"Of course, Draco. Anything to be with you." She says and I can see the trail of tears on her cheeks that I fear I caused.

"If anything happens to me you have to promise that you'll get away from the war, from your monster of a father and move on from me." I say and my own heart breaks as I watch more tears fall down her face using my thumbs to brush them away.

"What? N-No, I can't…" She starts to say but when I give her a look, she sighs closing her eyes for a moment and opens them with a nod. "Okay, I promise."

"If we are ever in a dangerous situation together and I tell you to run, promise that you will." I say and lead her over to my bed again to sit down with her taking her hands in mine. "We could come up with a safe word."

She slowly nods and I watch as she gazes at the patch of her knee showing through the rip of her Muggle blue jeans that she swears are very comfortable. I let go of one of her hands and rub my thumb along the patch of her warm skin chuckling when she squirms.

"Ripped jeans?" I suggest and she laughs laying back across my bed.

"No." She says using her free hand to push her hair back and sighs. "What about dragon? It's what your names means in Latin."

"And you just happen to know that?" I ask and lean over her sitting up on my elbow to rest one hand on her stomach.

"I happen to know a lot, my dragon boy." Astoria says with a playful grin and turns to sit up on her elbow as well turning to face me more. "Or how about Chai tea?"

"Merlin, you're never going to let me live that down, are you?" I ask and remember one of our first dates to the tea place in Hogsmeade, where she convinced me to try Chai tea that tasted awful.

"Never." Astoria says and reaches to stroke my cheek making me sigh softly.

"Alright, Chai tea it is." I say and turn my head to kiss her palm pulling her closer to me with a sigh. "Promise me one more thing, love."

"What else, Dray?" She asks cuddling into my chest and I smile a bit knowing that she is the only one that I'll let call me that nickname.

"Promise that you'll never intervene with Death Eaters or do anything to get yourself hurt." I say and rub her arm gently kissing her head.

"I don't know if I can promise that." She says and leans back to look at me sighing softly as she grabs my hand when I frown. "Wait, don't get upset!"

"Astoria, this is serious!" I say frustrated and get up from the bed pacing in front of my fireplace. "I can hardly stand that you get hurt by your maniac of a father and I think I'll go mental if I have to hear that another Death Eater hurt you! I hate seeing you in any kind of pain and the Death Eaters, well they like torture…

"The moment I was forced to get this mark, all I could think about was you." I say and turn my head to see her sitting up on my bed with her hair over one bare shoulder that the neck of her shirt is showing. "I keep having nightmares of you being hurt by your bloody father, other deranged Death Eaters or even by the Dark Lord himself…The thought alone terrifies me, Tor."

I shake my head and rub my hands over my face unable to shake the sight of her beautiful face being tortured by monstrous people with red eyes. I groan softly and squeeze my eyes shut trying to expel these images from my mind. The red-eyed people cackle Astoria's cries of pain and my attempts to break free of their body-binding curse forcing me to watch my love's agony. I shudder and rake my hands through my hair turning away from Astoria too proud to let her see the fear I know is on my face. I grip the back of my neck to keep my hands from shaking and flinch when I suddenly feel her hand on my back.

"I never realized that my pain made you so upset..." Astoria says softly on my bed and I turn to see her sitting on her knees the sadness evident in her eyes making me immediately feel guilty.

"Of course it does, Tori." I say with a sigh and step closer to her cupping her face in my hands. "I love you and you being in pain makes me feel like my heart is being torn to pieces and then I feel like I could kill someone…"

I look at her and raise a brow when I notice that she is staring at me with a slightly shocked expression on her face. "What? What is it?"

"T-That's the first time you've said I love you." She says and I feel her hands on my sides watching her chew on her bottom lip, which she does when she's nervous. "Did you mean it or was it just a slip of the tongue?"

"Of course I meant it." I say and stroke her cheek looking at her. "Although it was a bit of a slip but I-I swear I meant it. Are you sure that I haven't told you before? I mean I know that I have been thinking it for quite a while and—"

Suddenly, my girlfriend's soft lips cut off my words and I catch myself on my elbows when she pulls me over her on the bed. I grin as I pull my lips away from hers and play with a piece of her hair as I look down at her sighing as she rubs her nose along mine. I stroke her cheek and kiss down her face making her laugh as I feel her leg against thigh but when the door to my bedroom opens suddenly, I push up from the bed. I quickly draw my wand from my pocket and sigh seeing it is my mother with my aunt Bellatrix.

"Seems that we are interrupting, Cissy." Bella says with a cackle and draws back the hood off her wet cloak looking at Astoria with a raised brow. "Pure-blood?"

"Yes, Madam Lestrange." Astoria says as she gets up from my bed and I reach to take her hand lacing our fingers. "It's nice to finally meet you."

I look at her and squeeze her fingers seeing that she looks nervous. "Astoria was just leaving actually. I'll walk you to the study to use that Floo."

"Hurry back, we need to talk." Mother says as I lead Astoria toward my door and stop when she grabs my girlfriend's arm to whisper in her ear.

I raise a brow and pull Tori with me down the staircase looking to her. "What was that about?"

"She was just happy to see me." She says and smiles as we walk into the study turning to me in front of the fireplace. "Hey…"

"What?" I ask and sigh as she steps close to hug me tightly burying her face in my neck.

"I love you too." She says muffled by the collar off my shirt and I close my eyes squeezing her tighter to me kissing her head.

"Hopefully, I'll see you soon and I promise to write." I say and take her face in my hands kissing her softly. "Go home and get some sleep, you look tired."

"Stay safe, please." She says pecking my lips and I nod grabbing some Floo powder to toss into the fireplace for her.

I watch as she steps into the emerald flames and sigh when she leaves turning to go back upstairs the darkness filling me up now that she is gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Astoria's POV: Draco's 6th year/Sectumsempra

I finish adjusting my uniform and pull on my Slytherin robes before I sit down on my bed to pull on my shoes. I pull my book bag over my shoulder and push my hair back turning to leave the empty dorm room. I head to the common room and scan the room to find any of my friends but more importantly my boyfriend. I spot his white blonde hair nearly hidden in a leather winged back chair off to the corner facing his friend, Blaise Zabini and I notice that they are playing a game of Wizard's chess. I make my way to them and slide my arms around Draco's shoulders from his side pressing a kiss to his cheek as I sit on the arm of his chair.

"Hi, handsome." I whisper in his ear and grin when the tension in his body relaxes turning his head to kiss my cheek. I smile and look at the chessboard noticing that the two of them are fairly close to winning on either side but I can see a move. "Knight to E5."

I smirk watching as Draco's green knight walks over to the silver knight of Blaise's and stabs him with his tiny sword leaving his king unprotected, thus letting Draco win.

"Bloody hell, mate I hate your girlfriend." Blaise says and sits back in his seat with a sigh looking up at me with a smirk. "Greengrass."

"Zabini." I say with my own smirk and Draco places his hand around my waist squeezing my gently.

"She helped me beat you so, I love her." He says and grins up at me resting his other arm on the armrest lazily.

"Oh so that's how I earn your love, huh?" I ask teasingly and drop my book bag to the floor turning more into him.

"There are other ways." He says and sits up to kiss me softly cupping my cheek.

"Alright I'm out of here if you two are just going to snog." Blaise says and stands quickly from his chair walking away from us.

"Perfect." I grin and start to get up motioning to the chessboard. "Want to play?"

"I'd rather have you in my arms." Draco says grabbing my waist to pull me across his lap hugging me close to him. "What have you been up to, love?"

"Studying for my OWL's." I answer and laugh when he tugs me into his lap sighing.

"You're studying too hard and they aren't for another couple months." He says wrapping one of his arms around my waist the other rests across my lap and his hand lands on my hip. "They aren't that hard."

"Says the boy that took his already." I say with a sigh and lean into him when he rubs my back drawing me closer to him.

"I thought I was your _man_." He says in his playful tone that I hardly ever hear anymore and I feel his hand on my hip tighten making me bite my lip.

"Mm but lately my man hasn't been around." I say with a pout and stroke his hair back a bit shivering when his hand trails up my side to tuck a bit of my hair behind my ear.

"I'll make it up you soon, darling I promise."

"I know you will." I say and press a kiss to the inside of his left wrist knowing that just below the cuff of his sleeve is his Dark Mark. "Has it been hurting lately?"

"I know I've told you not to worry about me." He says stroking my cheek with his thumb and I can see the sadness, anxiousness and overall weariness in his blue grey eyes.

"I know I've told you that it is my job to worry about you, my love." I say and his thumb moves to wipe away my sudden tears that I didn't realize had appeared looking me in the eyes.

"And that is why I love you so much." Draco says and leans his forehead on mine holding me close to him.

I smile softly and lean forward to kiss his cheek but he turns his head to capture my lips in a heated kiss drawing me even closer to him. I tangle my fingers in his hair as we kiss glad that his chair is in a dark corner of the common room and that most of our Slytherin house is at lunch. I sigh in content when I feel Draco's hand slide under my school robe to rest on my side just above my hip and we both deepen the kiss our bodies knowing each other so well after nearly two years together. I bite my lip as he trails his kisses down my jaw and stops just below my ear making me shiver. I gasp very softly when he nips my skin and I pull back slightly looking at him.

"Too much?" He asks and gently strokes a bit of my hair pecking my lips when I feel the heat of a blush rise to my cheeks. "Hey, it's okay. I shouldn't have."

"No, it's just w-we never have gone very far…" I say and fix my gaze on the collar of his white uniform shirt biting my lip nervously.

"Look at me, love." He says and lifts my chin up our eyes locking almost immediately while his thumb trails under the edge of my bottom lip. "We don't have to do anything until you—no, until _we_ are ready."

I slowly smile knowing that no matter what Draco would make sure I felt safe and when we were ready to be together, it would be perfect. I lean forward to kiss him softly and when I pull away we both smile at each other. I adjust his loose tie and slowly get out of his lap making sure my uniform is straight.

"Want to get some lunch with me?" I ask and grab my book bag from the floor looking at him as I lift it to my shoulder.

"I need to get my potions book but I'll meet up with you." Draco says and stands from the chair reaching forward to tug the silver chain out from under my shirt that has a heart pendant from my first birthday we were together. I watch as he hooks his finger on the ring he gave me the following year, a few months ago and he sighs looking at me. "You aren't wearing it…"

"I just forgot to put it back on after Care of Magical Creatures this morning." I say as I reach back to unclasp the necklace and let the ring fall into his palm and fix my necklace back pulling my hair out from under it.

"Allow me." He says and takes my left hand in his sliding the silver band on my ring finger the single round emerald stone glinting in the light. "One day you'll have a better one."

"You say that every time we talk about or look at my ring." I say and stand up on my toes to kiss his cheek. "I'll see you in the Great Hall, love."

"I promise to be quick, darling." He says and presses a kiss to my forehead turning toward the hall that leads to the boys dormitories.

I smile a bit and turn to walk up the stairs that lead out of the Slytherin common room and head up to the Great Hall remembering back to the beginning of the school year when he gave me the ring…

 _I smile as we stepped back into the castle after going to Hogsmeade for a perfect dinner at The Three Broomsticks and had taken a long walk through the late September fall air._

 _"_ _Come on, I want to give you your present." Draco said and pulled me with him up the grand staircase lacing our fingers together._

 _"_ _And where are you taking me?" I asked and followed his lead up the stairs biting my lip as I realize that we were headed to the Astronomy Tower. "Are we going to star gaze?"_

 _"_ _Possibly." He said with a grin as we pass a few students in the halls on their way to their house's common rooms and we kept climbing the stairs._

 _I gasped as we got to the top, which was lit by the soft glow of a few candles surrounding a blanket and couple of pillows. "Draco, when did you do this?"_

 _"_ _I convinced your sister and Theo Nott to help." He said and turned to me grinning proudly as he tugs me toward the blanket._

 _"_ _You actually got Daph and her boyfriend to do something other than snog for me?" I asked and we both sat down on the blanket beside each other his hand not letting go of mine. "Wait, is that my present?"_

 _"_ _Ha ha, no." He said and leaned forward to kiss me softly tucking a curl of my hair behind my ear. "You know I love you, right? And that whatever happens through this war I fear is coming, I will do everything to protect you and take care of you."_

 _"_ _Of course I know that, love." I said and nuzzled into his touch sighing softly._

 _"_ _There are so many promises that I've made to you since we started dating and I have made even more after getting this bloody mark." He said looking me in the eyes and took a deep breath. "Promises of always protecting you, being there for you when your upset or hurt, taking care of you, bringing you your favorite tea even if it taste awful—"_

 _"_ _You hardly gave that tea a chance!" I interrupted him and nudge his chest laughing as he pulled me closer to him._

 _"_ _And most importantly promises that I will always,_ always _love you." He said continuing on as if I hadn't said anything and leans back on his elbow taking a small box out of his pants pocket._

 _"_ _D-Draco, what is this?" I asked staring at the small velvet box my mind spinning at the thought that he is going to propose right now and my heart started to pound._

 _"_ _This is a promise ring." He said and opened the black lined box revealing the simple emerald ring as he held it out to me. "I know that this seems silly but it's my way of reassuring you that no matter what, we will survive this war."_

 _"_ _It isn't silly but it is too much, love." I said and could feel my left hand shake when he took it in his own as he slid the ring on my finger._

 _"_ _One day I'll give you one so much better than this." Draco said and kissed my knuckles pulling me closer to him._

 _"_ _Is that your way of saying you're going to propose to me?" I asked and we slowly lay back against the pillows cuddling close together._

 _"_ _Yes." He said simply and I put my lip my mind drifting off to my imagination to what our future will look like one day._

"Hey, Astoria!" Someone calls as I enter the Great Hall and I turn to the Slytherin table seeing my friend, Claire waving at me. "Are you alright? You seemed to be in a daze just then and almost ran into a Ravenclaw."

"I was just thinking." I say and come around to sit next her pouring myself some pumpkin juice in one of the golden cups on the table. I take a sip and push a bit of my hair back out of my face taking a few bits of chicken onto my plate. I pile on a scoop of cheesy potatoes and grab a vine of grapes popping a couple into my mouth. I talk with a few of my friends while all eat and make plans to study together tonight around the large table in the common room. I agree to go with Claire to grab a few extra books from the library and meet everyone else after dinner.

I look up to see Draco walking and he gives me a signal that he's going to ask one of the professors a question and I nod. I watch as he his steps start to falter and follow his line of sight to Katie Bell, a Gryffindor that he admitted only to me accidently cursing through Madam Rosemerta at the Three Broomsticks by the use of the Imperius Curse. I remember hearing Katie's screams from six months ago from just barely touching the cursed necklace that was intended for Dumbledore himself and I shudder at the thought of Draco succeeding with his task. I focus again on my boyfriend and quickly scramble to get up from my seat grabbing my bag as Draco turns to rush out of the Great Hall. I bite my lip as I reach to grab his arm just outside the doors and he turns to look at me his blue grey eyes looking more panicked then I have ever seen.

"Chai tea." He says and grabs my head kissing my forehead. "Stay away from me."

"Draco, no. Talk to me. What's going on?" I say gripping his arm but he quickly jerks it from me and looks me in the eyes. "Please, Draco just talk to me!"

"Stay, Astoria!" He says in a harsher tone than he usually uses with me making me think of his father and I watch his back until he turns down a hall toward the lavatories. I stumble back until I hit the stone wall behind me and take a few shuddering breaths as I blink back my tears. I frown as I see Harry Potter rushing to follow the same path and turn down the same hallway that Draco did. I run my hands through my hair and grip it just behind my neck trying to think of what I should do.

 _If we are ever in a dangerous situation together and I tell you to run, promise that you will._ I remember Draco telling me that night in his bedroom but my heart squeezes at the thought of him getting hurt or worse and I did nothing to help him. Whom could I ask that Draco would allow to help him in a dangerous situation? Crabbe or Goyle? No, definitely not them. Blaise? He could be useful at fighting if things turn that way. One of the professors possibly? I peek around the corner to look at the head table in the Great Hall and scan the chairs questioning which one would be most helpful.

"Snape!" I whisper to myself when I spot his usual seat is empty and quickly run to his office that is still in the dungeons, despite him finally getting the position as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I knock on his door and let myself in before waiting on his answer. "Professor, I need your help!"

"Well, Miss Greengrass there are better ways than just demanding my help and barging in my office." The old potions master says and stands up behind his desk looking at me angrily.

"I am sorry, Professor but I didn't know who else to come to." I say quickly and step closer to the desk biting my lip.

"What is it you need, Greengrass?" He asks and steps around his desk toward me.

"I-It's Draco…he ran off from the Great Hall and Potter followed him. I-I have this feeling that something horrible is going to happen." I say and can still feel my heart pounding in panic for Draco.

"And you want me to go help Malfoy based on his silly little girlfriend's _feeling_?" Snape asks with a sneer and I feel a sudden burst of anger at his condescending tone.

"I know that you and Mrs. Malfoy have an agreement to protect her son and I have no problem letting her know that you refused to help him when I can tell he needs it." I say crossing my arms over my chest and stare up at the Head of my House in a challenge to defy the rules of his Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa.

"Where is he?" He asks after what seems like eternity and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"I saw him walking around the first floor turning near one of the bathrooms." I answer and quickly follow him out of his office to walk up to the first level of the castle making our way to the hallway where the bathrooms are. I suddenly recognize this as Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and hear the spells being yelled by my boyfriend and the Boy-Who-Lived then see water start to come through the doors into the hall. I hear Draco cry out a curse but is cut cut off by Potter exclaiming a word I've never heard before and then there is a splash on the hard floor.

"Stay here, Miss Greengrass." Snape says in forceful tone and I can see the worry on his face making me immediately fear the worst.

I clutch a hand to my heart and fight back a sob as my mind races with the deadly possibilities that could have happened to Draco on the other side of the door. I chew on my lip anxiously and get out my wand just as Potter rushes out of the bathroom stumbling when he spots me looking incredibly shocked and guilty. I grip my wand and turn to walk into the bathroom my knees going weak as I see Draco lying on the wet floor with blood streaming from his chest.

" _No!_ " I cry out and quickly stumble forward to kneel by his side opposite of Snape, who mutters a song-like spell dragging his wand tip along Draco's chest.

"I-I told y-you to stay away." Draco chokes out gaining my attention again and grabs my hand weakly.

"You know I couldn't…" I whisper shakily and grip his hand in both of mine looking down at him to see him grimace as the blood he lost starts to flow back into his body. I frown as his already weakened grip slacken even more and watch as he falls unconscious looking up to Snape. "Will he be alright?"

"Eventually, yes." Snape answers and stands to levitate Draco's body with his wand above the floor looking to me as I stand. "Madam Pomfrey will be able to help him more."

I nod slowly understanding that he is taking him to the Hospital Wing of the castle and I follow with Draco's hand still in mine. I ignore my dripping robes and the whispers of the students we pass in the hallways as we go to the other side of the castle. I shudder as we enter the large room with beds that lined both walls and Madam Pomfrey points to a bed quickly looking Draco. I step back when she tells me and watch as she opens Draco's shirt summoning a bottle of Dittany with a flick of her wand dropping a few drops on to his pale chest.

I stir awake yet again worried about Draco and sit up in my bed the other girls in the dorm quiet from sleeping peacefully unlike me. I rub my temples and draw back the coverings on the left side of my bed carefully slipping from bed to step into my slippers. I grab my wand from my nightstand and carefully sneaking past the other beds to step into the hall. I mutter 'Lumos' under my breath and the tip of my wand lights up as I walk toward the common room planning to just read something to distract myself from my anxious thoughts. I walk over to the table where my friends and I planned to study this evening before Draco was cursed by an unknown spell and I stayed by his side until I was practically forced out. I start to pick up a book and notice that I am trembling from the events that happened today.

"Astoria?" I hear someone say and spin around to see my sister standing by the stairs that lead to the dormitories.

"Daph…" I say and we both quickly rush to each other hugging tightly as a sob catches in my throat. "Shhh…it's okay, sis."

"I-I'm just so worried about him…" I choke out and she gently leans back to look at me wiping away my tears.

"I know and I wish I knew what to tell you." She says and looks at me with the kindness that mother shows in private but with father's green eyes that we both have.

"I need to go see him." I say with a shudder and cross my arms over myself biting my lip.

"Go, I'll cover for you." Daphne says and I hug her tightly suddenly very grateful that she has always been there for me in the past few years instead of when we always fought in our younger years.

"I owe you one." I say and grip my wand as I turn to leave the common room shushing the portrait of Salazar Slytherin as I step through the door. I keep my wand light down low as I walk quickly through the castle toward the Hospital Wing glad that all of the portraits are fast asleep and used to the Slytherins sneaking around. I open the door as quietly as possible putting the light out on my wand glad for the moonlight coming through the tall windows and see that Madam Pomfrey's office is dark. I close the door and make my way to Draco's bed seeing his chest rise as he sleeps peacefully. I quietly move a set of curtain dividers around his bed to hide that I'm here and bite my lip as I push my hair back turning to him.

"'Storia?" Draco whispers his voice sounding a bit slurred and he starts to sit up.

"Whoa, don't sit up." I quickly whisper and come to sit on the side of his be beside his hip taking his hand. "I just needed to see you, love."

"You're going to get in trouble." He says quietly and slowly reaches up to stroke my cheek looking up at me tiredly. "But I am glad you're here."

"Yeah?" I ask and lean into his touch so happy to feel it closing my eyes.

"Come here, love." He says and slowly scoots himself to the edge of the bed tugging me down beside him covering my mouth gently when I start to protest. "You aren't going to hurt me besides I need you with me."

"I love you." I whisper and carefully lay on my side next to him resting my arm across his stomach under where I know the cuts are. I yawn letting my head rest gently on the top of his shoulder and feel his lips brush my forehead as I drift off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Draco's POV: Malfoy Manor two days before the Battle of Hogwarts

 _Draco,_

 _It's getting worse here…I'm not sure how much longer I will last here at Hogwarts without you. I am constantly afraid and freezing to the point, I think I'll never feel warm again. I know that it's the Dementor's getting to me as well as the Carrow twins. Their tortures are getting so much worse…_

 _I've been punished a lot more than any of the others in Slytherin. I did not want to tell you this because I know you'll get angry and in the end, it will only make things even worse. When they think someone is disobeying even in the slightest, they assign special 'detentions' where we are meant to use the Cruciatus Curse on the younger students and if we refuse they chain us up in the dungeons using the curses on us. I cannot torture an innocent first year just because of their magical blood isn't as 'pure' as the Carrows think it should be._

 _I'm sorry I haven't told you the truth about the bruises on my body during the short time we had together during the Christmas holidays. Yes, a few were from my father but majority of the faded injuries were from the Carrow twins, mostly Amycus. I tried to heal them and hide them from you but I know I shouldn't have. We know each other's darkest secrets and I feel like I have somehow destroyed the trust that we've worked so hard to achieve._

 _What do I do, Dray? If I drop out my parents will probably disown me and I'll have nowhere to go. Your home is being destroyed and darkened the longer the Dark Lord and his followers stay there. I know that maybe one day it will change and things will get better for us but right now that feels like a lifetime away. I am scared that this will not end well for us…_

 _Sorry, again._

 _Astoria_

 _P.S. I love you so much, my dragon._

I sigh deeply and rub my eyes letting my girlfriend's letter from a week ago fall from my hand to the bed where I am still standing at the glad to end another horrible day trapped here. I groan practically hearing Astoria's weariness, desperation, and worst of all her pain making the guilt inside me swell even more. When the Dark Lord returned to the Manor just after Potter and the rest of our prisoners escaped, our punishment was to be detained in our own home until we are needed and I certainly hope that we are not. I shudder still able to heat Granger's screams as my aunt tortured her for information about Godric Gryffindor's sword that was meant to be in her family vault only to be outwitted by a stupid house elf that proudly supports Potter.

During the earlier part of the school year, I did everything I could to protect Astoria from the Carrow twins but being in different years separates us throughout the days of classes. I have tried to plead my way back to finish my last year at Hogwarts but my efforts have only ended in not only my pain but hers as well. My heart breaks as I picture her chained up to the dungeon walls and can clearly see the bruises I saw along her body during the two days we got to spend together during the Christmas holidays. Even then, she was close to the breaking point then with bruises she thought she could hide under baggy clothes and make up but I could see that she was truly exhausted. She already seemed beyond fragile the last time I saw her just before coming home for the Easter holiday and in the following weeks I wrote to Theodore Nott telling him to look after her.

I sigh and slowly make myself turn to the bathroom those glasses of Firewhiskey I had with dinner hours ago making my head spin. I stumble my way into my bathroom and grab on to the marble sink countertop the man in the mirror looking pale, hollowed out and so unlike the man I wanted to be. I take a moment to steady myself and then turn stripping off my clothes to step into the shower hoping the fresh water will help my nerves of the ever occurring nightmares. Once I step out, my eyes look to the scars that still crisscross along my chest and I fight the shudder that goes through me grabbing a towel to dry off. I step out of the bathroom pulling on a pair of pajama pants and reach for Astoria's letter to fold up placing it back in the drawer of my nightstand. I spot the picture of her from the beginning of our relationship that hid when the Dark Lord made our home into his headquarters and sigh watching Tori wave at me from inside the frame.

 _We had just finished having a nice luncheon with my parents to celebrate my birthday as always a week or so late after arriving home for the summer after my fourth year in school. Astoria and I had just started dating around four months ago and things were going quite well as far as I could tell. We both are each other's first serious relationships and I personally couldn't be happier despite what my friends may think. Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini and even Nott all seem to think that I am a lovesick puppy but Pansy Parkinson couldn't be more negative about the whole thing._

 _"_ _Got it." Astoria said bringing me out of my thoughts and I turned from my view of the garden to see her walking toward me with the magical camera she brought from home._

 _"_ _Finally." I said with a smirk and took her hand in the one that isn't holding on to my broom handle to lead her out into the gardens finding the path that leads to my favorite bench._

 _"_ _So, your parents are a lot lovelier than I remember." She said as we walked close together and she suddenly stopped lifting the camera up to snap a picture of me._

 _"_ _Oi, stop." I said and gently pushed her away playfully listening to her laugh cutely._

 _"_ _But I need a picture of you." She said with a pout and I tug her to me kissing her temple with a smile._

 _"_ _Only if I get one of you in return." I said and when we get to the bench I always like to sit at overlooking the area that Father first taught me to fly on a broomstick when I was a toddler._

 _"_ _Of course, love." Astoria said and sat down on the bench turning her body to watch me as I walked in front of her._

 _I smiled as she raised the camera to her face again snapping a picture just as I mounted the broom and pushed off the ground to fly around her in a large circle. I fly around for a while having missed Quidditch this year due to the Triwizard Tournament taking place and wish I had brought the snitch out from my kit upstairs. I dove back down toward Astoria and laughed as she squealed snatching the camera from her hands. I turn my broom and over a few feet turning the camera to snap a picture of her waving up at me then she blew me a kiss. I grinned and flew down to her sitting beside her to kiss her cheek softly. I smiled as she rested against my side and we kissed for a few moments before I stand back up._

 _"_ _Don't you want to fly with me?" I asked and mounted my broom looking at her._

 _"_ _You know I don't like heights." She said and placed the camera beside her on the bench chewing on her bottom lip nervously._

 _"_ _I won't let you fall, Tori." I said with a grin as she stood up and I took her when she got close enough pressing a kiss to her knuckles the same way I've seen my father do to Mother._

 _"_ _Do you promise?" She asked stepping closer to me and bit her lip._

 _"_ _Of course I promise." I said and scooted further back on my broom to help her sit in front of me wrapping my arms around her slim waist to rest one of my hands on the broom handle. "We'll go nice and slow."_

 _I pushed off the ground so we hover a few feet from the ground and chuckled in her ear as she squeals again leaning back into my chest. I made us go up a bit higher and steered us in a circle at much slower speed than I normally like. Astoria leaned into my chest and I pressed a kiss to her head smiling at her when she turned her head to look at me._

 _"_ _I suppose flying isn't all that bad." She said with a grin and I slowly start to lower us landing near the fountain that is at the center of the garden._

 _"_ _I told you so." I said with a grin as we both got off the broom using it to lean on and she stepped closer to me._

 _"_ _Don't be so smug." She chided me and raised her hand to brush my cheek._

 _"_ _You know you like it." I said and let my broom rest against the edge of the stone fountain placing my hands on her waist to pull her close._

 _"_ _Maybe." Astoria mumbled sliding her arms up around my neck and I lean down to kiss her softly…_

"Draco!" I hear Mother call just before she rushes into my room in her dressing robe and I put the picture away turning to see she has a panicked look on her face.

"Mother, what is it?" I ask and step toward her suddenly very concerned as I grab a shirt pulling it on.

"It's Astoria. Theodore has brought her here…I'm afraid to say that it isn't pretty, darling." Mother says and I feel dread creep up my body latching on to my heart.

"Where?" I manage to choke out and somehow my brain comprehends her saying that they are in the drawing room. A shudder runs through me as I picture her broken body among the countless others that were tortured and killed in that room by the Dark Lord or the Death Eaters that took up residence here. I find myself running down the stairs the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears and I turn to enter the drawing room. I stop when I see Theo practically holding a very weak and broken looking girl that my heart immediately knows as Astoria. I feel my heart shatter as she turns her head to look at me her eyes revealing how much pain she is in and I quickly rush forward as she tries to step toward me catching her just as she falls.

"My love, what have they done to you?" I murmur and wrap her in my arms frowning when I notice her shaking, as I look to Theo. "I told you to protect her!"

"I tried, mate! This was beyond Daph's control or mine. The Carrow twins are mad!" Theo says and steps closer sporting his own bruises along his face and I see cut on his cheekbone.

"Yes, we know they are but what was their reason for torturing Astoria?" Mother says and walks forward to gently stroke my girlfriend's hair.

"They hated her from the very beginning. She refused to do as they said and got detentions on purpose to keep the younger ones safe from the twin's tortures." Theo says and shakes his head sighing deeply. "She was in the dungeons more than she was in the common room some nights."

I frown more and gently lean back to take Astoria's face in my hands seeing it covered in bruises varying from the faded greenish yellow ones to deep purple ones that look fresh. I gently trail my thumb along her bottom lip, which is bleeding from a cut at the corner and watch it tremble as tears fall from her eyes. I press my lips to her forehead and sigh as she crumples against me burying her face in my chest. I hold her slim frame to my body knowing from experience that even with her abusive father, she has never been this bad before and it will take time for her to truly recover.

"The other girls in her dorm say that she's hardly slept the past few weeks." Theo says and I look over to him nodding in a silent thank you for bringing her here.

"How did you get her out?" Mother asks looking to Theo and I slowly back myself toward Father's chair that sits in front of the large fireplace.

"Easy, love." I whisper to Astoria when she whimpers and carefully sit her in the chair staying close beside her when her cold fingers grasp on to my hand.

"Don't leave me." She says with a shudder and looks up at me tearfully.

"I'm right here, darling." I say and press a kiss to her hair turning my attention to Theo as he answers my mother's question.

"The professors." Theo says walking over to stand near us and crosses his arms. "They're starting to send the badly injured ones to St. Mungo's but Astoria refused until they got to her tonight. After they finished with her, she begged to be with you and Snape said I had until morning to get her here."

"Severus? He knows we're banned from leaving…" Mother says and I see the slight shock on her face a small smile forming on her lips. "He knew you'd want to see her."

I sigh and turn to kneel down in front of Astoria holding her cold hands in both of mine. "You should've gone to St. Mungo's…you're hurt."

"But I wanted you and my injuries aren't as bad as Theo is saying." She says bringing a shaky hand up to my cheek and leans closer to me. "I needed to be with you, Draco."

"Trust me when I say I tried to make her but even as weak as she is, she could hex me. Note the absence of her wand." Theo says as I look to him and holds out my girlfriend's wand looking at her a bit warily.

"What did you to him, love?" I ask with a smirk and take her wand turning my head to look at her again only to see her slumped forward her eyes closed. I gently push a bit of her normally shiny golden hair back shaking her just a tiny bit and her eyes open in alarm instantly. "Tori?"

"D-Draco?" She asks weakly and her eyes slip close again only to open again a moment later a jolt running through her body when I take her hand. "Get off of me! I won't do it! I will not hurt them!"

"Astoria?" I say with a frown and reach to cup her cheek but she cringes away from my touch curling up as much as she can in the chair.

"She did that to Daphne and me a few times after a bad detention." Theo mutters and sighs standing beside me. "It's like she thinks that she's stuck with the Carrows."

"I'm sure it's just exhaustion." Mother says bending down near Astoria and very gently strokes her hair talking to her in a sweet, motherly tone. "Astoria, darling…it's okay. You're safe now…"

I watch as my girlfriend's green eyes slowly turn from fearful to relieved as she looks up to my mother then her eyes meet mine and she uncurls her body to move into my arms. I hug her close to me and rub one hand along her arm feeling her face against the crook of my neck with a sob. After a moment, I feel her go limp and I slowly lean her back to see that she has gone unconscious.

"Astoria? Love, I need you to look at me." I say and shake her not wanting to hurt her.

"Let's take her upstairs, Draco." Mother says placing her hand on my shoulder and pushes Astoria's hair back. "I'll do what I can for her injuries."

"I need to go." Theo says and pats my other shoulder sighing. "Good luck, mate."

"Theo, thank you." I say and stand up to shake his hand as he nods turning to leave.

"Come on, Draco." Mother says and I turn to look at her worried about Astoria.

I take a deep breath and carefully lift my girlfriend's body into my arms noticing that her lightweight body feels even smaller from the last time I held her. I follow Mother upstairs pressing a kiss to Tori's head and sigh in relief when I see that we are going into my room. I watch as Mother points her wand to my fireplace to ignite the logs and goes to lay a towel down on the sheets of my bed motioning for me to lay her there. I place her down and help Mother remove her shoes and her uniform robes gasping when we see blood seeping through the upper arm of her right white sleeve. I quickly use Astoria's wand to cut away her sleeve and anger surges through me when I see the words 'Blood traitor' carved into her pale flesh. I feel the sting of angry tears in my eyes as I realize how much pain she's been going through on her own and I feel Mother grab my shoulders turning me away from my girlfriend.

"I think you should go out in the hall. You don't need to see her like this." Mother says and grabs a pinch of Floo powder from the jar on my mantle shouting into the emerald flames. "Bella, I need your help in Draco's room."

"Coming through!" I hear my aunt's maniacal voice echo through the various fireplaces in the Manor and step back as her figure emerges from the flames her dark eyes settling on Astoria. "My, my…what have we here?"

"It seems that Amycus and Alecto have been taking your tips to heart." Mother says in a frustrated tone that I know all too well and steps toward my bathroom opening the cupboard where the basic healing essentials are kept in each bathroom. "I know you hardly know the girl but she doesn't deserve this type of treatment."

"Doesn't she?" Aunt Bellatrix says and stands on the other side of my bed crossing her arms staring at my mother.

"No, she does not!" I hiss angrily gripping the oak wood of Astoria's wand and glare at my aunt seeing more how deranged my aunt has become over the years by the minute. "Astoria is a good, kind, gentle woman who has been through more pain than she deserved."

"Well, I'd say she deserves most of it from that brand on her arm." She says harshly and shakes her head at me. "Honestly, Draco this blood traitor is better off dead."

"Bella!" Mother exclaims and shakes her head starting to apply different things to Astoria's arm after getting her uniform sweater vest off.

"How dare you!" I shout at her anger causing me to me step toward her to defend my girlfriend, who is still unconscious but a sudden strong grip grabs my shoulder and I am being dragged out of my bedroom. I jerk away from the grip to see my father for the first time since the Dark Lord was here to punish us for what happened over the Easter holiday and I'm startled by his appearance. I push past the man I once looked up to as a child now all I see is this weak, spineless, heartless, broken shell of a man that moves to block my path and I feel is hatred. "What are you doing? Astoria needs help and Aunt Bella isn't going to do anything."

"And do you honestly think you can go in there and challenge Bellatrix?" Father asks and stares at me with the same cold blue grey eyes that I see in the mirror.

"What do you care?" I hiss shoving him into the wall and grip his robes. "You've done absolutely nothing but put me in deadly situations the past two years! I've been nothing to you but a way to redeem yourself to a monster that has destroyed our lives!"

"Is that all you see me as, Draco? A man who stood by and was not only tortured but had to watch as his wife and child were as well…" He says his tone full of remorse that I have never heard from him before and I sneer thinking that this is just another attempt for him to regain my affection.

"I see you as the man who gave up his home, his livelihood to get back in the Dark Lord's good graces and a man who didn't fight when we were tortured by him!" I yell in his face my angry grip on his robes tightening even more and glare at him.

"You may hate me all you want but I am still your father and you will respect me." Father says more calmly than I have seen him during one of our fights and I release him laughing humorlessly.

"Respect?" I say and glare at him shaking my head. "What do you know of respect? Was it respect when you gave Mother permission to let the Dark Lord force me to take this bloody mark? Was it respect when you tried to force me to identify Potter?"

"Do you honestly think I wanted my only child to take the same path I did?" He asks and looks at me leaning on the wall. "I thought that the mark brought on power and in the past it did…but now, it just condemns us."

"You condemned us to this." I say harshly and move forward as my aunt steps out of the room glaring me when she passes me.

"She's strong, I'll give you that." Aunt Bella says and Mother steps out beckoning me forward before I can respond.

"If you two are done fighting, Astoria is awake and wants you." She says and sends a disappointed look to my father before gripping my arm. "She is very weak and needs to rest. I gave her one shirts and an old pair of pajama pants."

"Thank you, Mother." I say with a quick peck to her cheek and walk past her hearing the door shut behind me as my eyes lock on to Astoria in my bed. She looks a tad bit better, the bruises along her face have begun to heal and her color as returned slightly making her look like the last time she was hurt by her father and spent the night. I walk over to the end of the bed and sigh hating to see her in pain.

"Draco…" Tori says and reaches a shaky hand out to me slowly starting to sit up.

"Easy, love. Don't sit up." I say as I quickly move around the bed to her side and take her hand kissing her knuckles. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't there to protect you like I promised."

"Shhh, it's okay…" She whispers reaching to cup my cheek as I sit by her hip and lean down to kiss her forehead. "I will heal just like all the times before."

"Don't do that, love." I say and get up with a sigh turning to the fire.

"Do what?" Astoria asks and I turn to look over my shoulder at her seeing her biting her lip.

"Belittle your pain." I answer coming over to the side of my bed that is open to me and sit down against the headboard. "You know I hate to see you in any kind of pain and I can't help but feel like this is my fault."

"And you don't do that, Draco Lucius." She says and sits up turning with a wince to cup my face in her cold hands. "This is not your fault. I would have gotten hurt like this regardless of our relationship. I couldn't have done what they wanted…"

"I know." I say with a sigh and turn my head to press a kiss to her left palm frowning when I see a mark around her wrist. I gently take hold of her forearm and push up the sleeve of my shirt she's wearing to see the red marks and bruises that were made by the medieval iron cuffs the Carrow twins would use to chain up students in the dungeons. "Oh my love, I'm so sorry…"

"I'll be okay, Dray." She says and uses her other hand to stroke my hair leaning into me gently.

I kiss her head and carefully lift her body to shift under her in the middle of my large bed resting her against my chest. "You need to rest, Astoria."

"Every time I close my eyes I see them." She whispers and shudders gripping the front of my shirt as her forehead settles against the crook of neck.

"I can only imagine but I'm here, love." I say quietly hoping that she will be able to get some proper rest and my hand rubs along her back. "I'll chase away your nightmares."

I slowly start to feel her body relax as I shift us a bit lower in the bed and pull the blankets up around us kissing her head. I stare up at the ceiling of my room the fire light making it have a yellowish orange glow and I hear Astoria's breathing deepen as she falls into a deep sleep. The guilt of her pain has lessened slightly now that she is in my arms and the heartache I've felt over the past few weeks from being away has disappeared for the moment. I rub her back a bit more and run my fingers through her hair that I notice is greasy feeling from not washing her due to stress, I assume. I kiss her forehead wishing I could take away her pain and keep her safe from what I fear is coming.

"I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, my love." I whisper against her head and feel her cuddle closer into my chest as my eyes drift close holding her in my arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Astoria's POV: the day after the Battle of Hogwarts/Malfoys return home

I wake with a groan on my lips as I feel the soreness all over my body and open my eyes shocked to see that I actually did not dream being brought here late last night. I very slowly sit up biting my lip to hold back a cry as my ribs ache at the motion and look around the slightly dark room. I spot my wand on the bedside table nearest to me and reach for it to point it at the fireplace igniting the dying embers glad for the warmth in the cool room. I then point it to the drapes watching them open to let in the light of the grey morning and I squint to see the clock on the mantle that reads that it is just after seven. I quickly do the math in my head to figure out that I have slept for nearly a day and a half but deep down I know that my body needed the rest because of everything I have been through.

"Draco?" I call out my voice hoarse from lack of use and turn my head to the bathroom door that is cracked open assuming he's in there. After a moment without any response, I toss the grey blankets back slowly lowering my feet to cold dark wood floor and stand up to walk around the four poster bed at a snail's pace. I push open the bathroom door to see that it is empty and frown as I turn to leave stopping when I catch my reflection in the mirror. Most of the skin on my face is covered in a greenish yellow of healing bruises and the cut in the corner of my mouth has dried blood on it. I sigh and find a washcloth in the cupboards to run it under the hot water tap holding to my lips as I walk out of the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a piece of parchment under the edge of the silver picture frame that holds a picture of me and recognize Draco's writing on the paper.

We've been summoned to Hogwarts where Potter has been spotted. I fear that this is the end. Stay in the manor, rest, recuperate.

I love you.

Stay safe.

Draco

A cry of despair chokes me and I feel my heart hammering in my chest as I reread his words to me that could be the last I hear from my boyfriend of the last three and a half years. I stumble to catch myself on the post at the end of the bed as my head spins and tears make my vision swim my heart shattering as I think about losing Draco. I feel under the neck of my shirt to clasp the heart pendant with the promise ring in my hand and a sob rips through me sinking to the floor. I curl up against the corner of the bed envisioning the school I think of as my home as a battlefield and shudder at the thought. I bury my face in my hands and ignore the pain throughout my body from all the abuse that I have suffered from by the command of the Dark Lord by the hands his deranged followers, Amycus and Alecto Carrow.

I wipe at my tears with the end of the dark green sleeves that I recognize as Draco's, which makes me sob even more and look down to the black pajama pants I have on with a sigh. I slowly raise my hand to grip the bedpost above my head and use it to get up groaning as my body aches at the movement. I take a deep breath wincing as the muscles in my torso protest and grab my wand to leave the room. I know the longer I stay in this bedroom, where I have so many fond memories with Draco, will be darkened by my worrying thoughts and heartache over my boyfriend possibly not returning to me. I start down the hallway in the direction of the main staircase that will lead downstairs and remember the last time I stayed here during Christmas two years ago.

 _"_ _You little bitch!" My father hissed at me bending down to slap me again and I could feel the pain just under the cut along my cheekbone._

 _"_ _Father, stop!" Daphne shouted and quickly moved to kneel behind me helping me back away from our drunken father. "She didn't mean it disrespectful!"_

 _"_ _Oh she did." He snarled and quicker than should be possible grabbed me by the hair dragging me up until I was level with him. "I don't want to hear your mouth again during this holiday."_

 _I whimper as he threw me down to the hard floor of the living room, where moments before I opened my big mouth we were having nice late night tea before bed, and Daphne helped me up. I limp slightly in my heels having landed on my already bruised hip as my sister led me through to the large living room and toward the staircase that leads up to the western side of the estate. I let a sob rip through me and Daphne shushed me as we get to the level where our bedrooms are. The moment we entered my room, Daph let me go and took my by the arms looking me in the eyes._

 _"_ _You're okay." She said to me just as she does whenever my father decides to get abusive and I nod taking a deep breath._

 _"_ _I'm going to Draco's…" I said fighting back tears as I rubbed my arms and felt a rip in the lace sleeve of my red dress. "I just need to get out."_

 _"_ _Alright. I doubt he'll come punish you anymore." Daphne said and nodded at me going over to my white brick fireplace getting the Floo powder out of a vase I keep on my mantle. "Go, I'll cover for you."_

 _"_ _Thank you, sister." I said as she threw in the powder and step into the green flames taking a deep breath. "Malfoy Manor!"_

 _My already dizzy head spun even more as I see the multiple other Floo Network fireplaces passed by in a blur and when the Malfoy Manor's drawing room appears, I stumbled out. I looked around the stunningly lit room by fairies floating around with bright lights that was decorated beautifully and I grabbed on to the back of one of the winged back chairs to keep myself upright. I quickly looked up as I heard the pop of Apparation a few feet in front of me and saw one of the Malfoys house elves followed by the sound of someone's shoes. I suddenly realized that this was a very inappropriate idea and tried to turn around fast but because of the klutz I still am today, I tripped on the leg of the chair I gripped onto for support. I landed on the floor with a thud a sob ripping through me and heard footsteps coming toward me._

 _"_ _Astoria?" I heard Draco ask and curled up wanting to disappear from this moment._

 _"_ _I-I shouldn't have come here…" I said my voice thick with tears and kept my face down to hide the injuries from my boyfriend scared that he will overreact._

 _"_ _Astoria, what's happened?" He asked and knelt down in front of me slowly reaching toward me but I pull back. "What is it?"_

 _"_ _I-I should just go." I said and pushed up off the floor keeping my head down as I tried to walk back toward the fireplace. I gasped as I suddenly felt Draco grab my hand and tugged me back toward him using his other hand to lift my chin up. I frowned as I could see the anger in his as he stared at the bruises along my face that I was sure have already appeared and watched the anger fade to worry._

 _"_ _Who did this to you, Tori?" He asked his voice quiet in the dimly lit living room and brushed my messy bangs off my face looking at me with a very serious expression._

 _I quickly dropped my gaze to the top two buttons of my boyfriend's white dress shirt that were unbuttoned and I chewed on my lip ashamed that I have not yet told him about my abusive home life. "My father…"_

 _"_ _What?" Draco asked shock coloring his voice and he took my face in his hands. "Does he do this often?"_

 _"_ _More when he's drunk, which is most days." I whispered and my shaky hands found their way around his waist when he suddenly pulled me into a hug._

 _"_ _I'm so sorry, love." He muttered against my head and pressed a kiss to my scalp pulling back to look me in the eyes. "You are staying with me tonight."_

 _"_ _What? No, this is really inappropriate." I said and bit my lip taking a step back away from him his hand catching mine. "Draco, I think I should just go before I get us both in trouble."_

 _"_ _I don't care about getting in trouble, Astoria." He said stepping close to me and used his free hand to stroke my unbruised cheek. "I care about you getting hurt."_

 _I swallowed thickly shocked by the devotion in his voice and my feet slowly started to follow him through the main floor of the Manor. At the bottom of the staircase, I tugged off my heels that I felt wobbly in and held them in the hand that isn't Draco's warmer one. I bit my lip as we passed by portraits of various members of the Malfoy family, who eye me suspiciously we walked through the halls and Draco stopped in front of door with a silver name plaque on it. I suddenly realized that all the time I spent here at the Manor over the summer holidays; we always spent time in the garden, the family library, in the kitchens or with his parents but never have we been upstairs to his bedroom. I watched as Draco led me inside the Slytherin green, silver and black decorated room and relit the fire in his fireplace with a flick of his wand. I bit my lip and turn to close the door for him taking in the boyish charm around the room._

 _"_ _Your dress is ripped." Draco said and walked over to a large dresser opening a drawer to pull out a dark green long sleeved shirt. "You can wear this."_

 _"_ _Draco, why are you doing this?" I asked dropping my shoes to the floor feeling self-conscious and I look at him shyly._

 _"_ _What do you mean, love?" He said as he stepped closer to me placing the cotton shirt in my hands and reached to run his thumb just under the cut on my cheek. "Let me see if I can heal you."_

 _"_ _I mean why are you being so kind? Others either give me looks of pity or act like I deserve this type of treatment." I said as Draco pulled me with him into the ensuite bathroom and I take in my disheveled appearance. "I look horrid."_

 _"_ _You just need rest." My boyfriend said and I tore my gaze away from my beat up face to meet his eyes in the mirror slowly turning to face him._

 _"_ _You didn't answer my question." I mumbled and winced slightly as he gently wiped the blood off my cheek._

 _"_ _I don't pity you and I certainly don't think you deserve this type of treatment, Tor. You are my girlfriend and despite what stupid people say, I do have a heart." He said pulling out his wand from his pocket and pointed it at my face. "_ Episkey! _"_

 _I hissed as I felt the skin of my cut grew back together and leaned back on the counter behind me sighing softly. "Ow…"_

 _"_ _I'm sorry, love." He whispered pressing a kiss to my forehead and looked at me._

 _"_ _It's fine, Draco." I muttered and bit my lip looking down with a sigh._

 _"_ _Here, I'll let you change." He said and stepped out of the bathroom grabbing a pair of pajama pants from his dresser to toss them to me. "Take your time."_

 _"_ _Thank you." I said suddenly appreciating Draco's kinder side that I have recently come to know over the past eight months of our relationship and now see how easily I could fall in love with him. I sighed and slipped off the new red dress I was sent a few days ago from my cousin on my Mother's side, from a French shop near where she lives. I frowned seeing the rip in the lace-embroidered sleeve and folded up the dress hoping that I can convince Mother to fix it. I bit my lip as I pulled on the shirt Draco gave me and inhaling his scent that I've come to know and wished I was confident enough to go out there without the pants on. I shook my head as I pulled on the dark blue pajama pants and stopped to look at my deeply bruised hip sighing softly. I tugged the elastic rubber band from the end of my braided hair that I took time on and my father destroyed in seconds. I picked out all of the pins I used to hold it together and turned to step out of the bathroom running my fingers through the tangled hair._

 _"_ _You look better." Draco said startling me from his spot by the window and held his hands up in innocence. "Sorry, love."_

 _"_ _Don't be, I was in my own little world." I said as I tied my hair up in a bun at the nape of my neck noticing that my scalp felt tender and sighed._

 _"_ _And what were you thinking about?" He asked and sat across his bed sitting up on his elbow to look up at me._

 _I sighed and sat down in the bottom corner of the bed with my legs tucked under me and my back supported by the post behind me picking at my nails. "That I probably shouldn't have come here…"_

 _"_ _Then why did you?" My boyfriend asked moving closer to me and I noticed that he's changed into his own pajama pants and a shirt as well._

 _"_ _I was scared and wanted you…" I muttered and a chunk of my deep red nail polish flaked off from my anxious picking but Draco suddenly takes my hands._

 _"_ _You know I'm always here for you, right?" He said as his thumbs rub over my knuckles and a sob caught in my throat nodding at his words. "Come here, baby."_

 _"_ _Dray…" I whispered as he pulled me into his steady embrace and I buried my face in his neck breaking down._

 _"_ _Shhh it's okay, Tori." He whispered and kissed my head rubbing his hands along my back in a comforting motion._

 _"_ _Did you call me baby?" I asked quietly as I slowly pull back to look at him and use the end of my sleeves to wipe away my tears sighing softly. "As cute as it is to hear you say that, I don't think it fits us."_

 _"_ _No?" He said with a smile and stroked my cheek looking at me. "How about I only call you that when you're upset or hurt?"_

 _"_ _I like that." I said with a smile and leaned forward to kiss him softly._

 _"_ _It's late, love. Let's get some sleep." He said brushing a kiss to my forehead and sits up in the bed._

 _"_ _We're going to sleep together?" I asked realizing yet again that this is inappropriate and bit my lip as he pulled the covers down off the bed._

 _"_ _Well, I assumed we would." He said and looked at me as I stood up from the bed biting my lip nervously. "I promise to behave, love."_

 _"_ _I certainly hope you will." I said as we both sat down under the blankets and I turned to face the fireplace feeling my boyfriend's arm come around my waist._

 _"_ _Goodnight, Astoria." Draco whispered in my ear and I shivered closing my eyes knowing that with him, I would always feel safe._

I shiver at the memory of our first Christmas holidays together and the start of many countless nights of me spending the night with him to stay away from my father. I walk down the last few stairs and enter the drawing room crossing my arms over myself to attempt to protect myself from the darkness that is in here. I cringe quickening my pace to go through to the kitchen and take a deep breath my bruised ribs still aching. I shake my head and use my wand to light up the room memories of late night snacks, tea, and meals with the Malfoy family flooding my mind as I look in the cupboards. I find the kettle to fill it with water and place it on the stove to boil while I look for tea bags finding a mug to use.

I take sips of my tea as I walk through the Manor and can practically feel the horrible things that happened here while Voldemort used this as his headquarters. I shudder seeing the dark stain of blood on one of the Parisian rugs that I know Mrs. Malfoy loved and turn away from the room with a frown. Almost all off the rooms where Draco and I share wonderfully happy memories from four years together, have been tarnished by the darkness that seems to haunt this once beautiful home. The now empty mug of tea suddenly slips from my already shaky grasp as I realize that this needs to be the end of my era here and my heart shatters…

"Astoria!" I hear someone shout echoing through the Manor from the spot I found in the living room and realize that it is Draco's voice. I quickly get up from the chair I pulled over to the windows and grip my wand rushing through the doors that go into the main foyer of the home. My feet stop as my eyes land on three disheveled people I care deeply about standing in their home with relief written all over their features and the youngest of them rushes toward me. I gasp when his arms capture me in a tight hug and a sob catches in my throat as my own arms wrap around his shoulders sighing in relief.

"Draco…" I whisper and slowly lean back to look at him seeing that deep down he is far more shaken up then he will ever admit. "What happened? How bad was it?"

"It's over." He says his voice steadier than I thought it would be and takes my face in his hands leaning his forehead on mine. "The Dark Lord is dead."

"What?" I blurt out unsure that I believe what he just said but the look in his eyes tells me the truth, Voldemort is dead. "Harry Potter defeated him?"

"Yes, we're free." Draco says and kisses my cheek hugging my tightly to him.

I sigh and wrap my arms around his waist breathing him in but frown when he smells like sweat, smoke and the tiny hint of his unique scent I love. "Why do you smell like smoke?"

"Oh umm…" He murmurs and I pull back to look at him noticing the soot on his face that I did not see before.

"Was there a fire?" I ask imagining the school I love burning to the ground and see Draco's expression turns sad. "Love?"

"Crabbe…he used Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement." He says and swallows lifting one of his hands to stroke my cheek. "He didn't make it out."

"Oh love, I'm so sorry…" I say with a frown and stand up on my toes to hug him looking over his shoulder to see his parents clutching hands as if they are afraid to let go of each other. "How many other casualties were there?"

"A lot on the other side…" Mrs. Malfoy says sadly looking around at her home in almost disgust and a tear rolls down her cheek. "Bella is dead."

"Mrs. Malfoy…" I gasp and move from her son to her frowning as I remember Draco once told me that Bellatrix is the only sister that she had in her adult life because the oldest Black sister ran off to marry a Muggleborn and therefore disowned many years ago.

"Don't, Astoria." She says holding a hand up to stop me from trying to comfort the woman who has been more of a mother to me than my own and I step back.

"Come, Narcissa." Mr. Malfoy says and carefully leads her through to the living room looking just as lost as his wife does.

"Is there anything I can do?" I ask turning toward Draco and bite my lip as he shrugs looking at me.

"I doubt it, love." My boyfriend says and sighs looking over to his mother as she stares out the windows that overlook the gardens. "She just needs time."

"Alright then." I say and take deep breath as I steel myself for what I have to do looking up to Draco. "We should talk."

"Can it wait until after I shower?" He asks taking my hand and laces our fingers together while we walk upstairs. "How are feeling? You look better."

"I'm mainly really sore." I answer and follow him to his bedroom sighing as we enter the room where I've found sanctuary in so many times. "I haven't even looked at myself properly yet."

"Do you want me to help?" He says and removes his suit jacket folding it up as he toes off his black dress shoes.

"No, go shower." I say sitting on the end of his bed and bite my lip.

"Are you alright, love?" He asks and stands in front of me unbuttoning the cuffs of his black shirt.

"I'm fine. We just really need to talk about something serious." I say and take his right hand slipping off the Malfoy family ring he wears to lay back playing with silver ring.

"I'll hurry." He says unbuttoning his shirt and leans over my body to kiss my cheek.

I nod watching him grab a pair of boxers from his dresser and go into the bathroom as my fingers fidget with Draco's ring. I hold it up to look at the Salazar Slytherin inspired crest and sigh remembering Draco's pride when his father gave this ring to him during our first Christmas together. I bite my lip sitting up to place his ring on the nightstand and grab one of the blankets from the bed to go setting in the window seat. I twirl the promise ring he gave me last year on my birthday and think of what I need to say to him not wanting to hurt him. I lean my head back on the wall and close my eyes my own heart breaking as I think about what I need to do.

"Stuck in your own world?" Draco suddenly asks making me jump and I turn to look over at him as he pulls on some pajama pants. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

I push a hand through my hair my eyes on the thin lines of scars on his bare chest and move the blanket off my legs turning to face him my toes curling up against the cold hardwood floor. "What happens now that the war is over? You said before that you're free but you are Death Eater…I doubt that anyone is likely to forget that."

"Unfortunately you're right, Tori. I haven't exactly been on the right side of things during all this." He says and rubs the mark on his forearm sighing deeply. "I assume a Ministry official will come for us in the next few weeks."

"Do you think they'll arrest you on the spot?" I ask and rub my arms with a shiver as I think about him being thrown in Azkaban.

"There would have to be a trial and I'm sure the Wizengamot will do everything that they can to convict me." He says and runs his hands through his wet hair groaning as he sits on the end of his bed. "Of course they can't say I'm a murderer…I tortured because I had to but I never killed."

"I know that, I knew from the beginning you were never a murderer." I say with a sigh and get up to move to his side smoothing a hand over his hair.

"Astoria, if they do convict me…" He starts to say his voice thick with emotions I know that he is doing his best to hold back and he raises his eyes to meet mine. "Move on, have the life I'd want you to have."

"And if they don't?" I ask and cross my arms over my chest stepping towards the fire still blazing in the fireplace. "What happens to us then?"

"We move forward from this war." He says and I bite my lip fighting my tears.

"Draco, we have been together for four years. You're my first love, my first real boyfriend, the first person to not only take care of me but to actually spoil me…" I say with a sad smile turning to look up at him when I feel him behind me and shudder. "We both know the next steps that our Pure-blood society will expect from us. A proper yearlong engagement, marriage, and an heir to the family name within our first year…"

"What are you saying, love?" He asks cautiously and takes my face in his hands tilting my head back a bit to look me in the eyes.

"We aren't the same people we were when we started dating." I say closing my eyes so I can't see the hurt in his and feel hot tears run down my cheeks. "We started out young, carefree, happy and I'm not saying that I haven't loved every single minute of our relationship but now it feels like we're trapped."

"I make you feel trapped?" He says and I open my eyes to see him frown deeply.

"That isn't what I meant and you know it." I quickly say placing my hands on his sides to make sure that he focuses on me and doesn't tune me out. "I think that we've clung to each other the past two years out of fear of losing each other to V-Voldemort or other Death Eaters."

"We came close the other day when Theo brought you here!" He exclaims and grips my arms making Amycus Carrow's artwork on the underside of my right arm throb.

"Draco, you're hurting me." I gasp out stepping back when he releases me and I turn toward the fire again.

"I'm sorry, love. I never meant to hurt you." Draco says regretfully and steps around to stand beside me gently reaching to tuck a bit of my hair behind my ear. "Are you ending things?"

I bring my hand up to my mouth to chew on my nail and sniff wiping at me tears that are still falling. "Four years is a long time…I don't even know who I am without you."

"And that's a bad thing?" He asks leaning his weight against his hand on the mantle of the fireplace and I laugh humorlessly.

"We know every little detail about each other." I say and push my hands through my hair turning to face him. "I know you love French pressed coffee; I know that you can't sleep at night if you're at odds with me or your mother; I know you have a scar on your shoulder from that time I threw a picture frame at you after one of our fights…"

"Then you cried because you hurt me." He says with a chuckle and goes over to sit on the end of his bed looking at me. "What is it you're trying to say, Tor?"

"I think that we need time to figure out who we are as individuals again." I say with a sigh and rub my arms stepping toward him. "I'm not saying that we wouldn't work if we stayed together but I just realized this morning that we aren't the same anymore. There's so much that I wanted to do before we got together and now I don't what I could do with my life because I am different person now."

"So, basically you want to break up to experience new things?" He asks looking up at me with a sad expression and holds out his hands to me.

"I guess that is what I'm saying." I say as my hands immediately find his and he pulls me to sit between his legs on his thigh resting one hand on my hip.

"I don't want to lose you, baby." He says and hugs me close to me making me sigh.

"You know I love you, right?" I say slipping my arms around his shoulders and kiss his temple. "Let's make a deal, Dray."

"What kind of deal?" He asks and rubs my side hugging me against his warmth.

"That no matter what in ten years, we meet somewhere and catch up." I say and cup his face in my hands looking him in the eyes. "If we've moved on and gotten married then we'll talk about our kids or something."

"I doubt I move on, Tori." He says letting my waist go to flop back on the bed and stares up at the ceiling. "No one but you would be likely to put up with me because of this mark on my arm."

"And no one but you will look past the carving in my arm or my scars from my father." I say as I lean over his body and look into the blue grey eyes I fell for as a child hating to see the hurt there knowing I'm to blame for it. I sigh letting my face find the crook of his neck just like always and breathe in his scent to commit to my memory for the lonely nights that I'm sure are ahead. I feel his hands rub along my back and his lips against my hair making a sob catch in throat. My hands flatten against his firm chest remembering the nights we spent in my room after his sixth year and I would let my fingers trail along the scars that Potter gave him. I press a kiss to the underside of his jaw and blink my tears back with a shudder biting my lip.

"Why are we doing this then?" He asks quietly and I groan pushing up off his chest.

I stand up to run my fingers through my hair gripping it at the nape of my neck and turn to look at him sitting up. "Because as badly as it is killing me it is what I need, Draco!"

We stare at each other for what feels like an eternity and I watch as he stands coming over to rub my arms then he takes my hands.

"Alright, we'll do it but there's one flaw to your deal." Draco says and looks at me.

"What?" I ask and the knot of pressure from my idea that came to me this morning loosens slightly but my heart still shatters at the thought of leaving him.

"Ten years is too long for me to be apart from you, Astoria." He says and brings one of his warm hands to cup my cheek leaning his forehead on mine.

"Eight years then." I say with a small smile and step more into his embrace biting my lip as I raise my hands up to cup his face.

"Can I write to you?" He asks playing with a strand of my hair and sighs.

"I don't think that's very wise." I say and slide my arms around his neck to run my thumb along the nape of his hair. "Where should we meet?"

"The café in Diagon Alley where we met when were children." He says his own voice thick with tears and strokes my cheek as I remember our mother's introducing us when we just five and six. "We'll have lunch at noon."

"I-I will see you in eight years." I whisper and raise up on my toes to press my lips to his in what I hope isn't our last kiss feeling the explosion of passion I felt when we had our very first kiss after our second date.

"Make it seven." He mutters against my lips and his fingers tangle in my hair drawing me even closer to him.

"Seven." I reply knowing this needs to stop but his lips have always been one of my greatest weaknesses.

"Six?" He asks hopefully and I laugh pulling back to give him a glare.

"Seven years is my final answer." I say cupping his face again and kiss him deeply once more as his arms hug me tightly. "I love you, my dragon."

"I love you too, my darling." He says and presses a kiss to my forehead a tear falling down his cheek.

"Goodbye, Draco." I say as I step back toward the fireplace and grab some Floo powder from the mantle stepping into the emerald flames to go home with a sob.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Draco's POV: Seven years later

Three weeks after Voldemort was defeated, the Aurors came to the Manor to take my family into the Ministry's custody. We were put under house arrest while each of our trials happened and Mother tirelessly worked to bring the Manor back to it's former glory that she saw in the early years of her marriage to my father. None other than the Chosen One, Harry Potter himself aided my parents due to Mother helping trick the Dark Lord by confirming he was dead due to her concern and love for me. Because neither her or Father fought during the Battle of Hogwarts, they avoided being sent to Azkaban but I was involved in the fire that could have destroyed the school. The Wizengamot took their time deciding my fate after I confessed everything that I went through as a Death Eater and after nearly going mad in my own home; they decided to let me walk free if I chose to volunteer somewhere that the Death Eaters destroyed with their wrath.

I always enjoyed and was quite good at Potions in school so when the opportunity to train with the Potion Makers at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, I quickly decided that it was the best fit for me versus going to Azkaban. The first few months of being a trainee was much like being in school again, which in my case involved a lot of pointed fingers and accusations due to the Mark on my arm. I quickly relearned that my opinions just happened to lead to harsh words and hatred towards my family because we were pardoned from Azkaban. It took quite some time for me not to react badly and for months on end, I had to keep reminding myself that this situation is lightyears better than the alternative. I worked alongside a few people that I knew by association from Hogwarts but I happened to be the only Slytherin, which annoyed Father greatly at the time.

I eventually proved myself to the others in the training course and moved forward with five others to take the final examination that would give us the chance to work under Eugene Trenton, who was and still is the Head Potioneer of the entire hospital. Three of us made the cut and I was told that I had top marks from Trenton himself when he took us all out for celebratory drinks after we were all hired. Among the three of us, I was the only male at the time and one of the girls was from Beauxbatons while the other graduated a year ahead of me in Ravenclaw. Elizabeth, the auburn Ravenclaw, took most of the first year that we trained together to even trust me not to hex everyone in the room and took every opportunity to whisper things about me to Piper, the Beauxbatons girl. The first time I saw Piper, I stopped in my tracks because seeing her from behind made me immediately think of Astoria. With her shoulder length blonde hair, Muggle jeans and her short stature, I was almost called her by my ex-girlfriend's name but the moment she turned around my heart sank.

Astoria and I have kept our word and not seen each other in seven years, which I still can't believe has passed so quickly. I knew the moment she walked out of my life that I should have gone after her but I let Mother convince me to give her a few days to herself but when I went to her family's estate, I was told that she had left. For weeks I attempted to contact her sister, Daphne and eventually she wrote back to say that Astoria had moved in with their cousin in France. I was heartbroken to think that the girl I loved for so many years felt that she had to run away from her home just to find peace but the more I thought about it, I wish I had done the same. It took nearly a full two years of Mother's relentless attempts of naming women for me to date to even feel like I could go on a date without cheating on Astoria but none of them seemed to fit.

I glance at the clock on the wall of my home office that I set up in the basement of the Manor last year when the opportunity came up for me to start up my own Potions business, which not only benefits St. Mungo's Hospital but various others that need potions for all kinds of situations. Working at the hospital taught me a lot about brewing and creating potions for ailments that I never even realized could be cured or treated with by potions but also a lot about how people's situations can effect their care. There has been a few cases where upon bringing a patient their potion(s), they would admit to me or their Healer that they didn't have the finances to pay for everything. In the past I hardly ever thought about anyone else's way of life but now after six years of working alongside Healers, Mediwizards and witches, I see that not everyone has a Gringotts vault filled to the brim with gold that gives us all the options in the world. When I voiced my concerns to Mother for a patient who had been severely burned all along her body in a house fire caused by a duel, she donated the Galleons to cover the bill. It was within the next month that I discovered my mother spending three days a week in various parts of the hospital as a volunteer and I don't think I've ever been more proud.

I stand up from my chair when the clock chimes that I have an hour before I meant to meet Astoria for a reunion lunch and slip her letter I received a month ago to confirm our date. I remove my apron to hang it up on my way out of the basement and make my way up the stairs to walk through the main level of the home that Mother has redesigned dramatically. Where there once was dark colors along the walls, windows, and furniture now there are light, air colors, sheer drapes that let light in and pieces that are actually cozy instead of being there for looks. I quickly walk into my room to walk toward the open closet where a white dress shirt hangs that I had our house elf press and change into it looking at the ties in my drawer. I select a green and grey checkered one that Astoria gave me for me seventeenth birthday when we went on a trip for a long weekend. I smooth my hair back as I pass a mirror and pick up my watch on the way out of the closet grabbing my suit jacket that matches my black slacks. I adjust the collar of my shirt as I walk back downstairs and stop when I see Mother sitting on the couch in the living room with a cup of tea and a book.

"I'm going to check on the shop before my lunch with Astoria." I say and watch a grin form on her face knowing that she is hoping that Astoria and I will get back together.

"Alright, dear. Tell her I said hello." She says raising her teacup to her lips and takes a slow sip. "I'll make sure that your father and I stay upstairs in our room tonight, just in case things go well."

"Mother!" I exclaim with a sigh and shake my head as I turn to walk out of the Manor secretly hoping that things do go that well.

I Apparate just outside the Leaky Cauldron and reach inside my pants pocket to take out my wand tapping it against the bricks to open up the entrance to Diagon Alley. I walk past the various shops, restaurants and dozens of magical folk turning toward the Apothecary shop long abandoned due to the Death Eaters attack on Diagon Alley to find Olivander for Voldemort during the war and dig out the key from my pocket to step inside. I sigh and use my wand to light each of the lamps that hang from the ceiling making the dozens of shelves full of jars of potion ingredients that line the walls glimmer. When I first purchased the shop from an elderly man who was hesitant to trust me, it was hard to imagine the broken down shop like it once was when I came here as a child or to buy supplies for school. Now after a year of renovations and hiring a few new employees, all need is to figure out a good name for the shop so we can finally have a grand opening. I straighten up a few things and head up the stairs where my office is to read over a few notes that I wrote down for my next potion creations that I'll need to work on soon.

After taking care of a few bills, I lock up the shop and head toward the restaurant twirling the Malfoy ring on my right hand nervously. I glance up and down the Alley my mind wondering if Astoria will stand me up or whether or not she has moved on with her life and married someone else. When she wrote to confirm our date, I immediately was thrilled with the fact that I finally have the chance to not only see the girl I've loved since I was fifteen but to possibly convince her to be with me again. Throughout our seven-year break I never really pictured either one of us moving on with other people and having children but now that the time has come to face that possibility, I am terrified to see her with another man's ring or pregnant with a child that isn't mine. I quickly decide to go ahead inside and get us a table sitting down so I can watch out the window for her.

I watch as various people pass by the windows of the restaurant and each blonde woman that comes in causes my heart to jolt excitedly. Within a few minutes, my eyes are drawn to a figure that I can just feel is Astoria as she walks down the cobblestone alley in heels that give her a few extra inches in height and my breath catches in my throat. I always thought of my girlfriend as a pretty girl, inside and out, but now I see her as a radiant, stunning, woman who I can just tell has grown as a person. I stand up from my chair just after she enters the restaurant and for the first time in seven years, we both take each other in just as we did when we met here at this restaurant as children.

"Draco…" Astoria says the tone of her voice slightly different from years of being in France and she quickly steps forward to drop her tan purse on the floor then wraps her arms around my shoulders in a hug. I slip my arms around her slim waist and in this moment, I have to fight the urge to kiss her realizing how well her body has filled out as she presses close to me. I feel her press a kiss to my cheek and we both pull back to look at each other my hands resting my hands on her arms just above her elbows.

"Merlin, you are stunning." I say and watch as her cheeks color lightly in embarrassment almost matching the light pink color of her dress.

"You still know how to make me blush." She says as her thumb brushes my cheek and smiles softly taking a half step back to look me over. "You look pretty incredible yourself."

"Nothing like you though, Tori." I say with a smile of my own and give her arms a gentle squeeze stepping toward the chair across from mine to pull it out for her wanting to be on my best gentlemanly behavior. "Let's sit and order lunch."

"And catch up, of course." She says and moves to sit down giving me the opportunity to catch a whiff of her lovely perfume. "Thank you, Draco."

"Of course, Astoria." I say and lean down to press a quick kiss to her cheek before walking around to take my seat.

"I think we need to agree on something during this date." Astoria says as she picks up the menu in front of her and looks at me opening the single page leather folder.

"What's that?" I ask and open up my menu as well curious about what she has in mind.

"That we answer whatever questions we have for each other honestly." She says and her eyes glance down at the menu before meeting mine again.

"I think that's fair." I say with a nod and glance up as a waiter comes to take our drink orders looking at her again. "I actually have a question that's been nagging me for years."

"Oh?" She says raising a brow and lays down her menu.

"Why did you move to France?" I ask and close my menu leaning forward to look at her my hand resting on blue linen covered table. "Was it to get away from me?"

"No, well…not entirely." She says and I wince looking down with a sigh her hand coming to rest on mine. "That didn't come out the way I meant it. I mainly left to get away from my father, the damage from the war and what happened to us…

"My cousin, Camille offered to let me stay with her after I wrote to tell her what had happened and I knew I needed a change. I lived with her for that summer and decided I wanted to finish school so; I chose to go to Beauxbatons for my final year." She says and I turn my hand up to catch her fingers noticing that there isn't a ring. "I actually really enjoyed my last year in school and passed most of my N.E.W.T. exams with Exceeds Expectations or Outstanding. Well, all except in Potions where I got an Acceptable but luckily I'm better at being a Healer than a Potions Master."

"You're a Healer?" I ask and snort a laugh looking at her as the waiter brings our drinks. "Yes, you never were great at Potions."

"Don't laugh at me, Draco." Astoria says and smiles at the waiter opening her menu again to show him meal she wants. "The pecan crusted salmon with rice and asparagus."

I smile at her playful comment and quickly reopen the menu to decide on the first thing my eyes land on hoping it is good. "I'll have the maple glazed grilled chicken with carrots and a baked potato."

"I'll have that right out." The waiter says and takes our menus leaving us alone.

"Anyways…you were saying you sucked at Potions?" I say with a grin and chuckle as she glares at me finding it ironic that we chose careers similar to each other's.

"Shut up!" She says and pushes a bit of her hair back picking up her glass of fruit tea to take a sip through the straw. "I wasn't that bad, was I?"

"You were always a year under me in school but I remember plenty of late nights studying notes and Potion recipes." I say and lean back in my seat thinking back to the time we'd spend in the Common Room curled up together on those leather sofas.

"I think Snape hated me." She says and places her glass back on the table leaning forward on her elbows to look at me seriously. "I want you to know that I kept up with your family's trials through the Daily Prophet."

"I see." I say looking at the saltshaker on the table and quickly take a drink of my lemon water wanting to avoid this topic but know it is inevitable.

"Was what Harry Potter said true? That your mum was the one who saved him?" She asks and I look up to see her biting her lip.

"Yes." I say with a nod and she drops her hand on mine again making me smile a bit.

"So, I remember that the Wizengamot decided you either had to serve time in Azkaban or pick a place to volunteer at…" She says and looks at me giving my hand a tiny squeeze. "Obviously you chose the latter but they never wrote what or where you choose to work."

"Well, it's actually kind of funny you brought up Potions." I say my thumb running over her knuckles just like I used to do and she raises a brow. "I chose to train as a Potions Master at St. Mungo's and worked there up until last year."

"Wait, we both chose careers that deal with the medical field?" She says and looks at me shaking her head with a laugh of what I assume is disbelief. "What are the odds?"

"That's what I was thinking." I say and smile at her letting her hand go when the waiter arrives with our food. "Well, this looks good."

"It certainly does." She replies dropping her cloth napkin in her lap and picks up her knife and fork to cut off a bite of her salmon. "So, what made you leave St. Mungo's?"

"I loved it there honestly, especially after everyone started to trust me and I wasn't constantly viewed as a Death Eater—"

"I always feared people would be cruel." She interrupts and sighs taking another bite of her food.

"It took time is all." I say with a shrug hating that she worried over what others thought of me and take a bite of my food. "Anyways, I worked under the head Potions Master for the hospital with two others from the training program and learned quite a lot over five and a half years."

"So, why did you leave?" Astoria asks after swallowing a bite and raises her napkin to her lips as she looks at me.

"With you being a Healer, I'm sure you understand that there are patients out there that either have a hard time paying or can't pay at all for the medicines or treatment we provide them. I have had a few patients tell me that they can't afford the potion that they needed to get better let alone live and after about the fifth one to tell me that, I decided to something about it." I say lifting my drink to my lips and see that Astoria is staring at me with a smile on her face. "What?"

"You've changed, Draco." She says and leans forward on her elbow biting her lip.

"And is that a good or a bad thing?" I ask and take another bite of my chicken looking at her while I chew quietly.

"It is a very good thing." She says with a smile and thanks the waiter when he brings her a fresh glass of fruit tea. "And yes, I understand very well that not all patients can afford to pay their bills."

"Right as I was saying, I hated to see sick people unable to receive the proper potions or care because they didn't have the means to pay for it." I say loving the look of awe in her eyes at my words and smile a bit more. "Do you remember that apothecary down the Alley where most students use to buy their school Potions ingredients?"

"The one across from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor?" She asks with a raised eyebrow and smiles eating the last of her asparagus.

"I bought it from old man Wilbert and at the time, it was in shambles." I say and pick at the last of my potato reaching for my drink. "I plan on selling not just ingredients for most potions but also majority of potions that Healers use in their work but at a discounted rate for those who need it."

"Really?" She asks and leans forward on her elbows resting her chin on the hands. "I think that is wonderful, Draco."

"Thank you, Astoria." I say with a smile and place my utensils down across my now mostly empty plate taking a drink. "Would you like to see the shop?"

"I would love to." She says and tucks a bit of hair behind her ear biting her lip.

"Now, if I could figure out a name for the shop." I say and shake my head slightly taking a drink of my water.

"What about 'Malfoy Apothecaries'?" She suggests and smiles with a small shrug.

"I doubt I'd get many customers if my name is on the signs." I say looking down at the table and sigh knowing that people still view me as a Death Eater that got away scot-free. "Despite me proving myself to those around St. Mungo's, there are still people that don't see me as good person."

"They just don't know you, Draco." She says and looks at me with a smile biting her lip.

I smile looking into her bright green eyes as if the past seven years never even happened and can tell deep down that she feels the same. I rest my hand on the table after taking a drink of my water and grin when she rests hers on mine turning my hand to play with her fingers. I watch Astoria as the moment reminds me of countless dates in restaurants in the Hogsmeade village and late evenings walking through the wintery weather cuddled together to keep warm on the way back to the school. I run my thumb over her fingernail noticing the light pink compliments her dress and tone of her hair. I have her hand a gentle squeeze wishing I could just lean over the table and kiss her senseless.

"Will you two be having dessert today?" The waiter suddenly asks beside me and collects our plates making me want to jinx him for interrupting the moment.

"No, I don't think so." Astoria says with a smile while her hand still rests in mine and she looks at me shrugging one shoulder. "Unless you want something?"

"No, just the check please." I say watching her as she slips of the Malfoy ring I still wear on my right hand and bites her lip cutely.

"Honestly, ever since we confirmed this date I've had a craving Fortescue's ice cream." She says in a hushed tone just as the waiter walks off and looks at me while she plays with my ring leaning back in her seat.

"Let me guess…chocolate with strawberries?" I ask with a grin remembering that was always the kind she wanted when we came here during the summers and we'd end the day at Fortescue's.

"You remember the kind I always got?" She asks and holds out the ring to me biting her lip.

"I remember everything about you, Astoria." I say with a smile and take my ring just as the waiter brings us the check getting out my wallet.

"Should we be splitting the—"

"No, we should not." I say and count out the right amount of coins with a few extra Sickles for a tip handing it to the waiter quickly. "It's my treat."

"You just want this to be a proper date." She says with a slight smirk reaching for her purse and I stand to offer her my hand to help her up.

I watch as she stands and lean close to take in her scent whispering in her ear. "And what's wrong with that?"

"Not a thing." She murmurs adjusting her bag over her shoulder and we both turn to leave the restaurant. I hold the door open for her and once we get outside my hand somehow finds the small of her back to guide her toward the ice cream parlor. I smile when she steps out of someone's way and glances up at me with a shy smile when we brush closer together. I reach to open the door to the ice cream shop and let her walk in front of me taking the opportunity to trail my eyes down her body. I smirk not even surprised that after seven years, I am still incredibly attracted to her and we step forward to order our ice cream.

"Is there even a point in arguing who pays?" Astoria asks and looks at me while Fortescue himself fixes our orders.

"Nope." I say winking at her while I hand the money over to the cashier and take my mint chocolate chip ice cream cone. "We'll go see the shop."

"Oh great, I'm excited to see it." She says as we leave the parlor and cross the cobble stone alley and I notice that the lights are on reaching for the handle to open the door I know I locked earlier.

"Sorry but we aren't open yet—Oh, it's you, Draco!" Elizabeth says standing behind the counter with a box of vials in her arms and I turn to glance at Astoria, who is looking around in awe.

"Astoria, this is Elizabeth. We trained and worked together at St. Mungo's and when I came up with this idea for the shop, she agreed to help me create the potions and agrees with my ideas." I say and Astoria places her spoon back in her cup of ice cream stepping forward to shake Elizabeth's hand.

"Oh you're the one Draco keeps talking about." Elizabeth says as she places the box on the countertop and I look down focusing on eating my ice cream ashamed to admit that Astoria has been in the forefront of my mind lately.

"You've been talking about me?" Astoria asks and bites her lip looking at me.

"Nonstop." Elizabeth says with a grin winking at me and I step around both of them to move behind the counter. "Well, I don't want to interrupt your date so I'll just go."

"It was nice to meet you." Astoria says while the other woman gets her things to leave and I wave at her when she gets to the door munching on my cone. "Draco, I have a question nagging at me now…"

"You know you can ask me anything." I say and finish my ice cream tossing my napkin in the waste bin then look at her.

"I-I was just curious…" She says stirring her ice cream and takes a bite before continuing her thought. "Did you ever try to move on and date someone else?"

I fidget with the vials in the box and sigh leaning on the counter. "It took me two years for me to feel like I wasn't cheating on you but yes, I dated a few different girls. Elizabeth is one."

"I see…" She says and bites her lip looking around the shop with a smile. "This is great, Draco."

"Thank you, Tori." I say and smile at her turning to place the vials in their correct drawers below all the shelves that line the walls of the shop. "What about you?"

"What about me?" She asks playing with her ice cream and leans on the counter with a sigh. "Oh right…I dated a bit. During my year at Beauxbatons, one of the guys that transferred from Ravenclaw persistently flirted with me and I only agreed to a date so he'd stop. We lasted a little over a month and there was a guy I dated for about a year two years ago but things didn't work out."

"Can I ask why?" I ask and reach for her empty cup when she finishes her ice cream tossing it in the waste as she reaches to play with an empty vial. I look at her and notice that there are tears in her eyes quickly walking around to cup her cheek just as a tear falls down her cheek. "Hey…What's wrong?"

"I-I really did want to move on and find love again but everyone I got close to had one major problem…" Astoria says quietly and closes her eyes as slowly steps closer to me leaning into my touch her eyes opening to meet mine. "They weren't you."

I quickly lean forward to capture her lips in a kiss the heels giving her a bit of height so I don't have to lean down far and my hands cup her face gently. I run my thumb along her cheek as we slowly pull apart our forehead pressing together and my eyes look into her bright green ones. I sigh happy to know that even after seven years, we still have a lot of chemistry and I know I felt the sparks as if they never left. I feel her hands resting on my sides underneath my suit jacket and she rubs her nose along mine the way she used to. I smile and gently play with a bit of her hair tucking it behind her ear.

"I still love you…" I whisper unable to keep it to myself any longer and look at her feeling her hands gently grip my sides.

"I know." Astoria whispers back raising up just a bit to brush her lip against mine and her eyes drift close. "I never stopped…"

After spending majority of the afternoon giving her a tour of the shop, exploring some of our old hangouts in Diagon Alley and most of all reminiscing about us, we ended up back at the Manor about an hour ago. I smile as her fingers lace through mine while we walk through the back doors from the garden and I point my wand at the living room fireplace to light a fire. I lead Astoria toward the large couch and we both sit very close to each other talking quietly. I gently let my hand rest on her knee brushing a kiss across her cheek and smile when she giggles softly. Her body presses into mine and I lean close to kiss her deeply smiling when one of her arms slides around my shoulders.

"Draco, I want to see something…" Astoria says just after we pull apart making me raise a brow in curiosity but the moment her left hand rests on my forearm I know what she wants. "I only ever saw Theo's after the war and that was on accident. He never lets it show now. Please…"

I slowly nod and sit up more to take off my jacket tossing it over the arm of one of the chairs nearby. "No one that avoided Azkaban lets theirs show out of shame."

"I'm glad mine can be hidden easily." She says as she unbuttons the cuff of my sleeve and I suddenly remember the scar that Alecto Carrow gave her to brand her as a 'Blood traitor'.

"May I?" I ask and gently lift her left arm to find the thin letters that have scarred over on the underside of her upper arm the pale lines blending in with her skin tone. "It isn't too bad."

"No." She says and drops her hand to roll up my sleeve revealing the Mark that has faded into a light grey with the edges scarred over. "Does it ever hurt?"

"Not since the day Voldemort died." I answer watching as she brings my hand up to kiss the inside of my wrist just above the Mark and I stroke her jaw. "You always did that to make me feel better."

"And it always worked." She says and cups my face in her hands leaning closer to kiss me softly. "Do you remember our first kiss?"

"Of course I do, love." I answer and tuck her hair behind her ear my thumb tracing the shell of her ear. "It was right after our first date."

"No, it was after our second." She says as her head leans into my touch nuzzling into my touch and I kiss her cheek. "You kissed me just like that on our first and the next week when you tried and hated Chai tea, on the way back to the school, you kissed me…"

"In the cold entryway of the school." I say and pull her into a kiss wrapping my arms around her waist as I pull her with me to lay down on the couch.

"It was always freezing in the entryway during winter." She says with a laugh as we cuddle together and I hear her heels drop to the floor with a thud feeling her leg slide between mine. "You gave me your scarf that night too."

"You were always cold natured." I say and feel her body against mine raising my hand up to stroke her cheek.

"Still am." She says quietly and plays with my ties reaching to loosen it a bit. "I gave you this for your last birthday we were together…"

"Yes, you did. We went to the vacation house in south France for a long weekend." I say brushing some of her hair back and press a kiss to her cheek. "It was our first vacation together…"

"It was also our first time." Astoria whispers and bites her lip looking at me with a sigh as she strokes my cheek. "I know I have no right to ask but were you ever with any of the girls you dated?"

"You have every right, love and yes." I say wanting to be completely honest with her and let my hand rest on her side just above her hip. "Three others and only a few times each."

"I was only ever with the guy I dated for one year." She says and her face nuzzles into my shoulder her petite body resting halfway under my larger one. "I remember that weekend together like it was yesterday…You had just turned seventeen and wanted to experience a bit of freedom."

"And to keep you to myself just a little bit longer, I brought you with me." I say and tilt her head back gently to kiss her softly feeling her lips upturn into a smile.

"Do you remember why you asked me out in the first place?" She asks making me remember back to the Yule Ball in my fourth year and my blood still boils when I saw her dancing with one of the boys from Beauxbatons.

"I realized that I wanted you all to myself." I answer with a grin and she nudges my shoulder giving me a look.

"Even after all these years, you can't admit you were jealous." She says with a laugh and rubs my arm biting her lip. "You brought me flowers with a note that I still have because it was the sweetest thing I think anyone's ever done for me."

"And that was all it took." I say and cup her cheek leaning close to kiss her.

"You were always so sweet to me." She mumbles against my lips and I pull back with a sigh shaking my head.

"I wasn't always sweet, Tori." I say remembering the times during the war and slowly sit up to lean my head back on the couch.

"Draco…" She says and grabs my arm to pull herself up to slowly straddle my lap taking my face in her hands. "You have always been sweet, kind, gentle, loving, over protective and those are the reasons I fell in love with you…"

I look up into her eyes and my arms wrap around her waist to pull her more against me my hands rubbing along her back. "Last time you did this, we ended up in my bed…"

"You just had to bring that up, didn't you?" She asks with a smirk and slides her arms around my neck pressing even more into me.

"Yup." I whisper as our lips brush together and we both crush our lips together kissing deeply. I grin as we press together and slowly lay us back down on the couch one of my hands going to tangle in her loose waves. I feel Astoria's leg slide between mine and groan as she hooks it around mine to pull me more over her our tongues tangling together. I pull back when we need air running my kisses down her neck and quickly find her pulse point. I smirk against her skin when she moans softly and grips my shirt with a shiver pulling me closer. I press more into her eagerly noticing her body go a bit stiff and I pull back to look at her then follow her line of sight to my Mother standing at the bottom of the staircase. I groan letting my head fall to her shoulder and feel her lips brush against my temple as she gently pushes on my chest sitting up while I lay against the back of the couch.

"Mrs. Malfoy, it's been so long." Astoria says in a polite tone I recognize from years of Pureblood parties and watch her standing up to straighten her dress. "You look great."

"Me? Look at you!" Mother exclaims walking over to hug her gently and I sit up to roll my left sleeve back down buttoning the cuff. "Oh Astoria, I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Astoria says and embraces my mother warmly as I stand up to take a few steps toward them talking excitedly.

"How have you been? You been in France, right? What have you been doing there?" Mother asks in a rush and takes Astoria's hands looking at her. "Oh please, tell me you're coming back home to England."

"I'm great and yes, I've been in France working as a Healer." She answers glancing back at me with a smile and takes a deep breath. "Actually, I moved back a couple weeks ago and am starting at St. Mungo's next week. With Daphne having a few weeks until her due date, I wanted plenty of time to get settled and I was waiting to see how well today went to see if I wanted to be back permanently."

"And what's the verdict?" I ask and step closer to her watching her as she bites her lip.

"I'd have to be pried away." She says looking at me and smiles softly.

"Does this mean you two are back together finally?" Mother asks and I look at Astoria unsure if I should answer but she steps closer to me leaning into me as my arms slide around her back her head just under my chin as she stands without her heels on.

"Yes." She answers slipping her arms around my waist and I kiss her forehead.

"Oh I'm thrilled to hear that!" Mother says excitedly and gives me a subtle wink while Astoria presses her face against my shoulder with a sigh. "I think this is a reason to celebrate. Missy!"

A sudden crack of Apparition echoes through the room and our new house elf bows before my mother speaking in it's high-pitched tone. "Yes, Mistress?"

"Go down to the cellar and get us a bottle of champagne while I get the glasses." Mother says to the small creature with a smile turning to the staircase and yells upstairs. "Lucius, come down!"

I press a kiss to Astoria's cheek and suddenly realize that I finally have what I have been dreaming of for the past seven years. _I can't let her go again._

"This is what my sister predicted would happen and I thought she was crazy but now I think it's perfect." She says and tilts her head back to look up at me smiling softly.

"I know how to make it even better." I say tucking a bit of her hair behind her ear and know what I have to do in this moment. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" She asks as I take a step back and catch her hand kissing her knuckles gently.

"I'll be quick, my love." I say and squeeze her hand just as Mother comes back in the room followed by Missy with the bottle of champagne. I pass Father on my way upstairs ignoring his question as my mind focuses on the mission I have set and I quickly walk past the portraits of my ancestors in the halls. I enter my bedroom and walk toward the closet drawing my wand to mutter the incantation that reveals my safe hidden in the back wall. I quickly murmur the password that I set years ago and move things around until my hand finds the small velveteen box I put in here just weeks after Astoria had left for France. I put the box in my trousers pocket and turn to leave the room my mind racing with what I want to say as I walk down the steps. I look over the railing to see Astoria talking with my mother happily while Father stands nearby with a smile on his face and my heart swells with happiness as I think how that this is what we've been missing.

"Ah, there he is." Mother says looking at me as I walk toward them and holds a champagne flute out to me.

"There's something I want to say first." I say and both women look at me questions in their eyes but I step toward Astoria taking her left hand.

"What is it, Draco?" She asks concern coloring her voice and looks at me seriously.

"I've made two of the biggest mistakes of my life, both of which involved you…One was when I tried breaking up with you after getting the Mark and the other was seven years ago when I let you go." I say and slowly pull out the box as I get down on one knee looking up into her eyes that are now full of tears. "I will never be that stupid again…I have loved you since I was fifteen and don't want to imagine my life without you.

"Astoria Catherine Greengrass, will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?" I ask as I open the box to show her the large emerald surrounded by diamonds that tie into the smaller ones along the band and look up at her hopefully.

"Oh Merlin, this is insane…" She whispers and tears fall from long lashes looking down at me slowly beginning to nod as she uses her free hand to wipe at her tears. "Yes."

"Y-Yes?" I choke out knowing that this isn't the most conventional way to propose but I wasn't going to let her go again and her hand pulls away from mine to cup my face.

"Yes, you crazy man!" She exclaims with a tearful smile and I quickly stand up with my arms wrapping tightly around her lower waist to lift her up as I kiss her softly. I grin as I feel her arms slip around my neck and spin us around in excitement her forehead leaning against mine as she giggles. I slowly loosen my arms around to lower her down to her feet and keep one arm around her waist while the other holds the ring in front of her again looking at her.

"I picked this a month after you left." I say and she gasps touching the edge of the ring box with shaky fingers. "I knew deep down that one day, I would marry you…"

"Dray…" She whispers leaning close to kiss my cheek and I let go of her waist to take her hand slipping the ring on her finger. "It's beautiful."

"Just like you." I say and gently cup her cheek leaning close to kiss her softly.

"Oh this is wonderful!" Mother exclaims bringing us back to the present and Astoria leans into my chest as we watch my mother flit around excitedly. "Let's have a toast!"

I smile and turn to grab two glasses of champagne from the coffee table to hand one to Astoria looking at Father as he stands just behind Mother.

"To the future Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy." He says with a smile and we all lift our glasses toward each other's grinning widely as we sip the bubbly drink.

"I can't believe this is actually happening." Astoria mumbles and looks at her ring again in awe making me grin as I press a kiss to her temple.

"I'm just glad you said yes." I say against her skin squeezing her waist and she raises up on her toes to kiss me.

"I could see her answer the moment you got down on one knee." Mother says and smiles sitting down only to get back up quickly reaching for Astoria. "We will throw you two the biggest parties, showers, and the wedding next year will be fabulous!"

"Next year?" Tori asks and glances up at me for a moment turning toward my mother as she leans into me. "Mrs. Malfoy, I think I speak for both of us when I say I don't think we can wait a year."

"A proper engagement lasts a year in order to prove that the marriage isn't happening due to a pregnancy and to be able to plan nearly every detail." Mother says and places her glass down on the coffee table summoning a calendar book with a swish of her wand. "Yes, next June will be perfect…"

"Mother, a proper engagement doesn't happen in a spur the moment night like tonight either." I say and watch as she marks of a few things with a quill that she had stuck in the pages looking at me with a sigh.

"I suppose we could have Christmas wedding…"

"That's still over six months away." Astoria says and I can hear the disappointment in her voice making me frown a bit.

"We could always just elope, love." I say rubbing her arms and smile as she turns more into me hugging my waist.

"You will not do such a disrespectful thing, Draco Lucius!" Mother hisses at me and I press a kiss to Astoria's hair holding her close.

"Cissy…" Father says placing a hand on my mother's arm and she takes a deep breath.

"It isn't about being disrespectful, Mrs. Malfoy…" Tori says and rubs my sides as she looks over to my mother sighing softly. "It's about the fact that we are together again after seven years apart and don't want to wait any longer to be together."

"Mother, please…" I say looking over to the only other woman I've had in my life and silently beg her with my eyes to understand. "This is what we want—no, it's what we need."

Mother sighs and takes a seat again in Father's large leather chair the fire illuminating her face as she looks at us. "How soon are you thinking?"

"Well, this month will be pretty busy for me starting at St. Mungo's and Daph's baby due at the end of the month." Astoria says and slowly moves to sit at the end of the couch closest to my mother looking at her then to me.

"What about July, darling?" I ask as I sit down beside Astoria my arm resting along her back and my other hand immediately finds hers.

"Two months isn't enough time to plan everything, find a venue and invite everyone!" Mother says with an exasperated sigh and leans back against the chair looking at us.

"The only people I care about being there is our friends, our families and of course, Draco." Astoria says and turns her head to look at me squeezing my hand gently. "All I really need is a dress and it doesn't need to be too fancy."

"You'll look beautiful no matter what." I whisper in her ear and kiss her cheek as she leans into me playing with my fingers.

"What if we have the wedding here?" Father asks suddenly making us all look to him standing beside Mother and she places her hand on his arm.

"You could have the house elves do a lot and my mother would love to help." Tori says and smiles softly looking at my mother. "And once my sister is able, she'll just take over for everyone."

"But what about all the guests?" Mother asks and looks at my fiancée.

"We'll make it more of a private wedding." She says reaching to pat my mother's arm and smiles a bit. "The ceremony could be in the garden, which I've always loved during the summer and the reception could be throughout the main level of the Manor. I know it will be lovely…"

I press a kiss to her head and watch my mother as she sits quietly knowing by the look on her face that she is deep in thought. Father rubs her arm turning toward the small table beside his chair to pour himself a glass of his favorite scotch that is always there at night and takes a sip. Astoria leans back against my side and her hand lays against my knee the ring sparkling in the firelight. I sigh as she crosses her legs and I have to fight the urge to run my hand along them laying my hand on her arm instead to rub her skin. I smirk a bit when Father offers Mother his glass and she quickly drinks what is left of the amber liquid before looking to us again.

"Alright, we will have the wedding here in two months." She says and nods handing her calendar to my love with the quill. "Pick a date."

Astoria turns her head to look at me and I lean closer to point out a date with a brow raised in question grinning when she circles the day. I laugh as Mother quickly takes the calendar standing up to walk out of the room in a flurry of excited fury with my father following behind her and he shakes his head at us. I smile at him and Tori turns to look at me cupping my as she whispers to me.

"I love you."

"I love you too, darling." I whisper back and kiss her softly pulling her into my arms.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Astoria's POV: Pregnancy/Christmas

I stir awake feeling Draco press a kiss to my head and turn further away from him to feign sleep as I feel him get up from the bed guilt swimming through my insides. I shudder and pull the blanket up more around my shoulders one of my hands brushing my stomach that I have noticed through the past week has started to protrude just slightly. I hear the shower turn on and my body curls up a bit more picturing my husband's routine just as clearly as my own. I shake my head and know that I have to tell him that I'm nearly twelve weeks pregnant but every time I attempt to, I get scared that he will either a) be angry that I've kept such a big secret from him or b) tell me that we aren't ready for this in our first year of marriage and I'll be doing everything on my own. I slowly open my eyes to see the silver frame sitting on my nightstand the picture of Draco and I standing in the garden on our wedding day making me wish he'd react with all the happiness we had on that day in mid-July. I smile as the picture shows him standing to my side and his arms come around my waist tightly as he kisses my cheek.

"There's that smile I wanted to see last night." Draco says and I turn my head to see him in the open double doorway just in his usual black pajama pants coming over to sit on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling this morning?"

I shrug a shoulder as I watch him slowly sitting up to rest against the headboard and I take his hand. "I just woke up."

"Do you think we should reschedule tonight?" He asks and laces our fingers together looking at me. "I sent a note to the hospital to let them know you're sick."

"No, we need to have our first family Christmas. I'll be fine." I say and give his hand a squeeze the guilt making me squirm on the inside taking a deep breath as I look at him. "We've had this planned with our families since the beginning of the month."

"Are you sure?" He asks looking at me his eyes full of concern and I lean forward to cup his cheek gently. "Maybe we could ask Mother to host this year."

"I'm fine now, love." I say and remember how just the sight of the raw fish that I had planned on cooking for us brought on the sudden nausea last night. "The potion you gave me really helped."

"What do you think it was?" He asks and brushes my hair back from my eyes his hand falling to rub my arm.

 _Pregnancy sickness._ I wanted to say but shrug leaning my head back on the headboard.

"Well, hopefully you're okay now." He says and leans forward to kiss my forehead pulling back to look at me. "I'll go make you a cup of tea and you rest."

"Draco, I can get up. We have a lot to get ready." I say as he gets up from the bed and sigh when he presses a few kisses to my head watching as heads for the door.

"It's fine. We have time to relax for a bit, darling." He says with a wink making me sink further down in the bed with a soft groan and I grab his pillow from beside me to hug it my chest.

I sigh and look up to the vaulted ceiling of the bedroom that we claimed as ours just days before the wedding here at the Manor. The two and a half months that we were engaged was a whirlwind of parties, showers, planning, dress fittings and so much more that is now all a blur but I wouldn't have traded any second of it. I bite my lip closing my eyes as I remember how beautiful the Manor looked when the day finally came and we both have never been happier. After hours of celebrating with our closest friends and family, Draco surprised me with the beginning of our honeymoon where we spent the first week in the same house where we had our first vacation and the rest of the two weeks were in Rome, Italy. By the time we returned to the Manor, Lucius and Narcissa(they insisted I call them by their names days after our engagement) had moved into one of the smaller Manors owned by the Malfoy family giving us the larger one to make it our own and even redesigned this bedroom the way I described as a surprise.

I push back the gray blankets and slowly get up from the bed tugging down the bottom of Draco's shirt I still wear to bed, especially if I don't feel well. I sigh and look down at my stomach that is thankfully hidden by the large shirt biting my lip as I walk toward the bathroom. I shiver when my feet hit the cold marble tile floor quickly stepping on to the mat below my sink and look at myself in the mirror. I groan softly at the tired look in my eyes and the pale tone to my skin running my fingers through my slightly messy hair. I quickly brush my teeth and gather my hair in a messy bun at the nape of my neck glad that I don't have to worry about my appearance until later on today when we have our families here for the week of Christmas. I tug on a pair of comfortable black and red checkered pajama pants biting my lip when I see Draco levitating a tray of food toward the bench at the end of our large bed.

"I thought I told you to rest." He says as turns to look at me dropping the Daily Prophet at the end of the bed and comes toward me.

"And I told you that I'm fine." I say and squeal softly when he quickly lifts me into his arms holding me close to him as he walks toward the bed.

"I brought your favorite tea and some toast." He says gently sitting my body down against the headboard and presses a kiss to my cheek as he pulls the blankets over my legs. "But if you want something more, I'll get Poppy to make you something else."

"The toast is great for now." I say and adjust the pillows behind my back watching as he grabs the tray to sit it across my lap. "You aren't going to the shop today?"

"No, I'd rather stay here with you and we can relax before the chaos tonight." Draco says settling down on his side of the bed and reaches for the mug of coffee on the tray of breakfast.

"That sounds nice." I say and pick up my tea to take a sip my brain swirling with thoughts of how to tell him the truth. I place the tea down as I watch him read the front page of the Prophet and I select a strawberry from the bowl of fruit to cut it in half eating in the eerily silent bedroom. I bite my lip watching the moving pictures on the Prophet's front page as he opens the paper and my eyes widen at the picture of Hermione Granger-Weasley at the Ministry's Christmas party, her belly protruding out noticeably. I quickly take another sip of my tea and see that her husband stands with his hand on her stomach grinning proudly. I close my eyes and take a deep breath preparing myself for what I need to say to my own husband. "Draco—"

"Tori—" We both say at the same time and I quickly put down my tea to grab a halve of my toast to spread some strawberry jam on it taking a bite to keep my mouth busy.

"Are you finally going to tell me what's going on with you?" He asks as he folds the paper up again and grabs a blueberry from the bowl on the tray to pop it in his mouth turning more toward me.

"W-What do you mean?" I ask looking down at my food as I chew on my lip and he gently reaches to turn my head towards him.

"Astoria, have you forgotten that I know you better than anyone?" He asks and looks into my eyes his fingers brushing the underside of my jaw, which makes me shiver. "I know something's bothering you, love."

"I-I just…" I stumble over my words and take another bite of the toast realizing now how hungry I actually am.

"You're starting to scare me, Tor." He says making the guilt in my heart swell even more and I pick up my tea as I turn toward him a bit more.

"I'm scared you'll be angry with me…" I say and take a slow sip of my tea my eyes staying on the rim of my teacup.

"If I do get angry I promise to keep it under control, darling." He says placing his mug on the tray and a sob catches in my throat as I realize how foolish I have been to doubt his kindness toward me. Draco quickly takes the teacup from my hands and places it on the tray using his wand to move the tray to the bench at the end of the bed. I cover my face with my hands ashamed by my sudden outburst of emotion and feel him draw me into his arms pressing a kiss to my head. I immediately curl up into his warmth having missed his comforting touch over the past couple of week out of my fear he'd feel the changes in my body and I bury my face in his neck. "Astoria, baby please…What is it? Are you sick or hurt? Did your father do something? Whatever it is, I promise it's okay…"

"I'm pregnant…" I mumble and my cool fingers trail along the line of scars on his chest as I nervously wait for his response biting my lip.

"W-What?" Draco chokes out and slowly leans back to look at me his eyes wide in shock carefully adjusting my body so I'm sitting across his lap as he cups my face. "Look me in the eyes and say that again."

I swallow thickly and grab his shoulders to move my legs to straddle his thighs looking him dead in the eyes as I repeat the words: "I'm pregnant."

I gasp suddenly when Draco pulls me in for a deep kiss and my heart swells happily realizing that he isn't angry with me. I slide my arms around his neck as I feel one of his arms wrap around my waist to pull me closer to him and his other hand tangles in my hair to pull it down the way he likes it. I smile against his mouth and a laugh bubbles up in my chest leaning into him even more with a sigh. Draco trails his lips along my jaw finding the spot just below my ear that makes me shiver and then he sits back to cup my face in his warm hands.

"Wait…is this why you hardly let me touch you the past week or so?" Draco says and uses his thumbs to wipe away the wetness from my cheeks looking at me.

"You know my body so well that I was scared you'd notice things were changing and I hadn't told you yet." I say and fidget with my hands resting on his chest.

"Why didn't you tell me, love?" He asks with a slight frown and uses his wand to levitate the tray to the spot where I was moments ago grabbing a strawberry.

I sigh grabbing my toast to take a bite and lean back on his thighs. "I was late the week after my birthday and by the time I noticed and went to see my Healer, I was already five weeks along…"

"How far are you now?" He says as he picks up his coffee again and takes a sip making a face before he mutters a warming charm to reheat the dark brown drink.

"Um…" I mutter and reach over the tray into my nightstand drawer to pull out a small calendar book that I use to keep track of my monthly cycles calculating the weeks in my head with a frown. "Right at thirteen weeks now."

"How could you hide this from me for thirteen weeks?" He says and leans his head back on the headboard making me groan as I flop back on the bed between his legs.

"All I could think about was that we've only been married since July and have so much on us already with the shop and my work…" I say rubbing my hands over my face with a groan and feel Draco's foot nudge the side of my head. "Stop it."

"Astoria, give me your hands." He says and I look down at him to see him holding out his hands to me. I sigh slowly placing my hands in his warmer ones and bite my lip as he pulls me back up into his arms. I bury my face in his shoulder ashamed of what I have done and Draco runs his hands along my back gently coaxing me to lean back to look at him. "Why did you think I'd get mad, love?

"We haven't even been married for a year…" I say with sigh trailing my fingers along the scars on his chest that still makes my heart hurt and he tucks a bit of my hair behind my ear. "I just kept picturing you getting angry that it's too soon and you would resent the child or I'd have to do everything all by myself, which would drive a wedge between us and Merlin, I couldn't bear that!"

"Astoria, my love…" Draco says and brings his hands up to cup my face wiping away the tears that I have fallen while I speaking. "Nothing in this world, especially our child could tear us apart."

"But we haven't even talked about children in a serious way." I say and turn so I can sit on his right thigh my legs curl up between his grabbing a blueberry to pop it in my mouth. "We briefly mentioned it while we were dating but then the war ruined everything."

"I have loved you since we were teenagers and secretly dreamed of us having a family of our own." He says rubbing his hand along my back and hugs me close to his chest. "I had a great childhood here in this house but during the times I wasn't with friends or when Father didn't have time for me, I was incredibly lonely…

"I always wished for brothers and sisters that I learned later on in life I actually had." He says and I sit up to look at him with a brow raised. "Mother wouldn't want you to know this but she had two miscarriages and had a stillborn daughter before finally having me."

"Oh love…" I gasp and look at him sighing as I lean my head on his shoulder.

"So, I'm being serious when I say I want us to have children." He says brushing his lips over my forehead and chuckles quietly. "I didn't think it would be this soon into our marriage but I am not mad."

"Really?" I ask and grab another blueberry to pop in my mouth feeling his hand rub along my side.

"Not even in the slightest, my darling." He says and picks up my hand to lace our fingers together rubbing his thumb over mine. "Wait, you've been drinking wine every night with dinner…"

"No, I haven't…" I mutter ashamed of myself and bury my face in his neck closing my eyes. "I've been transfiguring water to look like wine or drinking cranberry juice."

"Tori!" He exclaims and sighs leaning his head back on the headboard.

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry!" I quickly say and sit up to kiss along his face knowing that when he does this to me after he's done something wrong, I quickly forget it. I gasp as his lips crash against mine and smile leaning into him more. His hands pull me closer against him and I sigh happily running my fingers through his silky hair as he rubs along my sides. I feel one of his hands move before he gently turns us to lay me down on my side of the bed and I notice that the breakfast tray is gone. I lay half under his warm body and watch as he pulls his lips from mine holding his hand just above my abdomen.

"May I?" He asks and looks up at me a smile forming on his lips.

"Of course, love." I say and reach to slide the shirt up just under my breasts biting my lip as his warm hand rests on the now slightly rounded stomach.

"You're going to be one of those women who just glow while they're pregnant, aren't you?" He asks with a grin pressing a kiss to my stomach and I laugh nudging him away from me playfully.

"Stop it." I say rolling my eyes and giggle softly as Draco crawls over me with a grin.

"We are having a baby, Astoria." He says resting on his elbows over me and kisses my cheek as his body settles against mine.

"We're having a baby, my dragon." I reply with a smile and slide my arms around his neck kissing him deeply. My eyes drift close as I feel his body against mine and sigh happily having missed the feel of him against me in the past couple of weeks.

I place the last pin in my hair to keep a stubborn strand in the elaborate up-do I've put my hair in and turn to look at my dress hanging on the closet doors. I stand up from my vanity bench and untie my silk robe to step forward to take the dress off the hanger slipping it on. I grab my wand from the vanity to use magic to zip up the green gown in the back and adjust the off the shoulder neckline. I then adjust the sleeves careful not to rip the lace that covers the floor length dress and slowly turn to look at myself in the full-length mirror. My eyes slowly travel up from the skirt that covers my feet up to the snug material across my hips gasping as I turn sideways and see the rounding of my stomach that I have hidden by baggier clothes over the past few days that the families have been here. I bite my lip and move my body in different positions to hide the tiny bump groaning as I still see it at most angles.

"What's wrong, love?" Draco asks stepping into the bathroom as he adjusts his cufflinks and stops when his eyes land on me. "Oh you look so beautiful…"

"I can see the bump." I say and sigh grabbing my wand quickly. "I'll just have to wear another dress that is looser."

"No, don't you dare." He says stepping forward to grab the zipper of my dress as I try to unzip it and looks at me in the mirror.

"Draco, everyone will notice!" I say and sigh as he grabs my wand from my hand wrapping his arms around my waist. "Are we ready for everyone to know? You just found out this week and we should have more time to be happy by ourselves."

"Astoria, they will all be thrilled for us and I doubt they'll all notice." He says as I lean back into him and his hands rests against my stomach pressing a kiss to the side of my neck. "Besides, you know I love you in green."

"We're really going to tell everyone tonight?" I ask and take his hands pulling his arms more around me with a sigh.

"Think of it as a Christmas present for them." He says hugging me to him tightly and nuzzles my neck with a sigh. "It will be great."

I turn to kiss his cheek and lean more into his chest for a moment before stepping into a pair of silver high heels. Draco kisses my cheek tucking a stray curl of my hair behind my ear and steps back toward the closet to pull on his suit dark grey jacket. I smile at him and step towards him to adjust his tie leaning close to kiss his cheek. He takes my hand to lead the way out of our bedroom and downstairs toward the main living room that has been decorated since the beginning of the month with the classic Christmas décor I saw during my first Christmas here. I smile hearing the instruments I charmed to play holiday tunes quietly throughout the evening and see my mother-in-law sitting with my niece, Thea in her lap. I feel Draco's hand tighten around mine as we pass my father who I can see has already had enough Firewhiskey tonight and he gives me a look that sends shivers down my spine.

"Remind me again why we allowed him into our home?" Draco mutters against my ear and I feel his hand come to rest against the small of my back making me smile at his overprotective side.

"He won't try anything." I whisper back to him and lean down to a passing house elf that is carrying a tray of drinks. "Keep the alcohol away from my father, please."

"Charm it away like Poppy did for Mistress?" The elf asks and I nod to her with a wink as I stand straight walking over to my cousin, Camille.

"I am still in awe of how beautiful everything is, 'Ria." She says with a smile and takes my hand gently drawing me closer. "Has it been odd to become the Mistress of this grand Manor?"

"No, it felt like home the moment I stepped inside again after so long." I say honestly remembering how I missed this place when I was in France and how easily it became ours after Draco and I were married.

"Astoria, when will dinner be ready?" Mother asks from her seat by her sister near the massive Christmas tree that takes up one corner of the family room and I step toward her only to be stopped by my young cousins running by.

"Very soon, Mother." I call and reach down to catch one of my cousins swinging him up into my arms. "Hello, William. Did you see the big train set Draco put out?"

"No, Towi." The young three year old says and I place him on my hip taking him over to the large table near the windows overlooking the snow covered gardens.

"These were mine as a child." Draco says as he walks up to join us at the table and flicks his wand to make the toy trains speed along the tracks making William giggle.

I smile watching William reach for the emerald engine that puffs out a stream of smoke and look up at Draco after placing the boy on the floor.

"We'll have our own little one soon." My husband whispers in my ear and I grin pressing a kiss to his cheek as one of the house elves announces dinner is ready.

"Let's go through, shall we?" I say loud enough for everyone to hear and Draco places his hand on my lower back to lead the way through to the dining room. I sit down at the end of the table and smile when Draco presses a kiss to my cheek before going to sit at the other end of the table. Once everyone is seated at the elaborately set table the first course of food is served and the families converse among themselves. I take a sip of my water and look down the table at Draco smiling when he winks at me as he raises his glass of red wine to me. I talk with my grandmother who sits to my right and cross my legs as the next two courses are served once everyone finishes the previous. After eating and talking for nearly an hour, I suggest that we all take dessert with us to the living room while the children play together and open any gifts that they are allowed to get on Christmas Eve.

"Everything was delicious, Tor." Daphne says as she walks beside with Thea in her arms and shushes her when she squeals quite loudly shaking her head.

"She's getting quite vocal." I remark and stroke my thumb over her chubby hand while Draco and Theo sit down on the couch in front of us talking about Quidditch.

"Oh yes, especially when she is upset or hungry at three in the morning." She says with an exasperated sigh and looks at her daughter before turning to me. "I'm sure it won't be long until you understand what I mean."

"W-What?" I stammer and reach to take Thea using her as shield to hide my stomach that I am quite sure is very noticeable to those who are looking.

"I just mean that I bet you and Draco will be having your own children soon." She replies and adjusts the velvet bow in her daughter's light brown curls smiling. "Of course, you still have time but then again you two did spend seven years apart…I'm surprised you aren't already."

I swallow nervously and turn my niece around to face her father who leans forward to catch her attention as Daphne stares at me intently. I bite my lip as Draco stands up to take my niece and walks over to the Christmas tree lit by the twinkling fairy lights showing her a snowflake ornament. I smile as I watch him interact with the child making my heart flutter as I envision him with our own children and one of my hands goes to rest on my stomach. I keep my eyes trained on my husband as he walks over to join the other children at the train table and laughs at something William says sitting down to play a game of Wizard's Chess with the boy's older brother. I blink back my sudden tears and play with my wedding rings on my finger turning my head to meet my sister's eyes.

"You're pregnant." She whispers stepping closer to me and takes my hand.

"I-I…" I stutter over my words and sigh knowing that she is one of very few people that I can hide things from. "Yes."

"Oh Tori, that's wonderful!" Daphne says with a giggle and hugs me tightly leaning back to look at me. "That's why you were drinking water…How far along are you?"

"Shh, we aren't sure we're telling everyone yet." I murmur gripping her hand and look at her with a sigh. "I'm right at thirteen weeks."

"You're thirteen week pregnant and not telling people?" She asks in a hurried whisper and pushes a hand through her dark hair looking at me concerned.

"I-It's just—"

"What are you two whispering about?" My father says interrupting us and I take a step back away from him the alcohol on his breath making my stomach churn.

"Oh nothing, Daddy." Daphne says in the sweet voice she uses to appease the large, temperamental man in front of us and I glance at Theo glad that he is nearby.

"Somehow I doubt it was nothing." Father sneers at me and I bite into the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something that will cause trouble.

"I think I'll go get a piece of chocolate cake. Would you like anything, Daph?" I offer looking at my sister and step further away from my father to turn away from him.

I take a deep breath and go toward the kitchen desperately wishing for a stiff drink to help calm my frazzled nerves. I sigh as I lean on the kitchen counter looking out the window at the snow covered ground and wish that it was just Draco and I tonight for our first Christmas Eve as a married couple. I grab one of the dessert plates that line the counter that the elves are to take into the dining room and pull out a fork from the drawer taking a bite of the chocolate fudge cake. I hold the fork to my lips as my mind wanders off to the times that Draco and I have had in this house over the past few months making a smile come to my lips. I bite my lip and lean against the corner of the counter more crossing my ankles as I hear the sound of footsteps enter the kitchen.

"What's the matter, Mrs. Malfoy?" My husband inquires and I turn to see him standing there with his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his lips.

"I wish it was just us tonight…" I say placing the now empty plate in the sink and watch as Draco walks over to take my hands in his warmer ones.

"I almost always wish that, love." He whispers and kisses my cheek letting go of my hands to place his on my hips to nuzzle into my jaw.

I laugh and my hands drop to his sides as my mind races with thoughts that I've held in since finding out that I am pregnant. "Will you still love me when I'm huge?"

"What?" He asks with a chuckle and leans back to look at me.

"Are you still going to want me when I'm fat or after you've seen the baby come out of me?" I say and chew on my lip staring at the knot in his tie as the questions I've been dying to ask practically spilling out. "What if this hurts our relationship? Are we even ready to be parents? How will we do this and work? I love my job and don't want to give it up and you love the shop, which makes me so proud! I am so happy that you've found something that you love to do and want to get up for everyday—"

"Astoria, take a breath." Draco interrupts my rambling and I close my eyes leaning forward into his chest with a sigh. "You are overthinking things again, darling."

"But—"

"But nothing, my love." He cut off my protests and strokes my cheek tilting my head back to look me in the eyes when I open them. "First of all, I will always want you because you are the love of my life and you won't be fat."

"You don't know that…" I mutter with a pout and sigh biting my lip.

"You'll be carrying our babies and that will make you even more beautiful to me." He says gently brushing a kiss to my cheek and hugs me closer to his chest.

"Babies?" I ask and raise a brow looking up at him curious to know how many children he wants us to try to have.

"Like I said the other morning, I want us to have children and I know that it is a bit faster than I think we intended but we can do this." He says and tucks a stray curl behind my ear sighing. "Now, about the work situation…I know you love your work and I'm not saying you have to quit right now—"

"But I'll have to eventually?" I interject with a sigh slumping against the counter and play with his tie.

"I was just going to say that you will have to slow down and take it easy." Draco replies his tone gentle and rubs my side looking at me. "You'll have to limit your stress during the pregnancy to make sure everything goes smoothly."

"I know…" I say and bite my lip knowing that a few of my Healer colleagues have their suspicions that I am. "I think we should start telling people."

"Yeah?" He asks stroking my cheek and smiles at me as I lean closer to him.

"Daph already figured it out." I mumble and slide my arms around his waist under his suit jacket feeling the heat of his body through his thin white shirt.

"Oh Merlin, the whole house will know by the end of the night!" He says with a laugh and hugs me close pressing a kiss to my temple.

"Hush, you!" I retort pushing on his flat stomach and laugh as he quickly traps me between him and the counter to kiss along my face.

"There you two are." I hear my mother-in-law say and turn my head to see her entering the kitchen with a glass of wine in her hand. "Hiding away?"

"Trying to." Draco says hugging me close to him as he turns to lean on the counter and my side presses close to his front.

"Well, you've been caught." She replies with a grin and looks to me. "Your sister says she has a gift for you."

"Ah, we're coming." I say and take Draco's hand to pull him along with me as we follow his mother back into the living area where everyone is.

"There are our great hosts." Lucius says from his favorite chair by the fire as his wife settles on the arm and rests her free arm on the back of the chair.

"We just needed a moment to ourselves." I explain and look over to them leaning into her son's warmth with a sigh.

"We've needed our fair share of those through the years." He says with a smirk that I often see on my husband's face and I chuckle when Draco groans.

"There are certain things that I rather not know about you two." Draco says and I laugh looking at him with a grin.

"If it wasn't for those _certain things_ you wouldn't be here, dear." Narcissa quips quickly taking a sip of her wine and leans more into her husband. "One day, your own children will be embarrassed by you two."

"Our own children, huh?" I ask and look at Draco with an eyebrow raised smirking as he rubs my side.

"Oh yes, it's every parents duty to embarrass their children." She replies with a smile and Lucius chuckles looking at us.

"Draco hated when Cissa would adjust his clothes during parties or straighten his hair out in public." He says and let's his hand rests on her thigh.

"She'd do it front of my friends!" Draco exclaims and slumps against the counter.

"You always had this cowlick and wouldn't let me use product on it." His mother retorts and I laugh looking at the pout on his face.

"Oh yeah, I remember you getting on the Hogwarts Express for the first time all aggravated that your mum had straightened your hair a few minutes before." Daphne says from her spot on the couch and Theo laughs as I notice my husband's ears turning pink.

"I hope our baby gets embarrassed like you do." I say and smile as Draco hugs me closer to him kissing my temple.

"Oh I'm sure it will." He says against my skin rubbing my back and smiles.

"With the way you act around me, our child will never want to be seen with us in public." I say and giggle as he grips me tighter to him looking at me.

"And what is that supposed to me, Tori?" He asks and leans closer to kiss along my face making me step back with a laugh.

"You two are talking hypothetically, right?" Narcissa asks interrupting my giggles and my eyes meet Draco's as he pulls back.

"Actually…" I start to say and look around the room to see most of everyone still here is watching us excitedly. "I'm thirteen weeks along."

"Oh, Astoria!" My mother-in-law exclaims as others gasp and quickly comes over to give me a crushing hug. "This is wonderful news! I knew something was going on when I saw you drinking water throughout this week and when you looked green earlier this week."

"Yes, the day you arrived I had had horrible sickness the night before and even now the least little smells makes me queasy." I say with a sigh and turn to hug one of my cousins as she congratulates me thanking her.

"With Draco, I was terribly sick up until the halfway point." She says as Lucius shakes Draco's hand congratulating him and I smile at the two of them glad that they have put away their differences through the years.

"I certainly hope that the sickness will end for her soon enough." Draco says and places his hand on my lower back leaning close to kiss my head.

"Being your first, it can be hard to tell." Narcissa says and tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear looking at me happily.

"Have you found out the gender yet?" Mother asks from her seat and I see my father watching us without a hint of happiness for us.

"No, it's too early to tell in the sonogram pictures." I answer leaning into Draco's side and sigh.

"Just use magic, dear." Narcissa says and smiles at us taking Lucius' hand.

"We did just because I was tired of people making bets over our child." Daphne says with a glare at Theo and he at least as the decency to squirm pressing a kiss to his daughter's head.

"I used the fifty Galleons for her." He says and my sister rolls her eyes shaking her head with a sigh.

"After I made you."

"Do you want to?" I ask ignoring them and turn my head to look into Draco's blue grey eyes raising my hand to stroke his cheek.

"Do you, love?" He replies looking at me and I feel his hand rub along my back.

"It might help us prepare for things more if we know what it is…" I say and chew on my lip unsure if we should do this with his parents in the room.

"Let's do it then, darling." He says with a smile and kisses my cheek getting his wand out of his pants pocket. "What's the enchantment?"

" _Genus Revealio!_ " Narcissa says and smiles at us. "If it is a girl your stomach will glow pink for a moment and blue, of course for a boy."

I take a deep breath a bit nervous to find out what we'll be having and raise my eyes to Draco's giving him a nod. I bite my lip as he mutters the spell and watch as a white aurora glows around my stomach time slowing down as we wait to see the final color. I gasp and suddenly fight back tears as the aurora turns blue grinning when Draco sweeps me off my feet in a hug. I laugh as he spins us around and wrap my arms around his neck everyone around us clapping in congratulations. I smile widely as Draco sets me back on my feet and his lips meet mine in a loving kiss making me feel for the first time in weeks that this is exactly where we were meant to be.


	7. Chapter 7

Draco's POV: Scorpius' Birth/July 10th

I sigh still unable to fall back asleep despite the early morning hour and turn on my side to look at Astoria's peaceful expression leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. I gently tuck a lock of hair that has fallen across her face behind her ear letting my hand trail down her arm to stop and rest against the side of her thirty-seven week large baby bump. I rub my hand along her side and smile at the feel of the baby kicking against my hand as I lean down to press a kiss to my wife's stomach. I pull back to sit up against the headboard and rub my hands over my face running my fingers through my hair with a soft groan as I glance at the clock on my nightstand. I glance at the clock noticing that it's just after five in the morning and slowly get up from the bed careful not to jostle the bed too much grabbing my robe.

"At least you're resting…" I mutter quietly as I watch Astoria sleep for a moment her face visible in the soft glow of morning light just outside the windows before turning to leave our quiet bedroom and head downstairs to my office.

I leave one of the French doors open as I pull out my wand from my robe's pocket to light a fire in the fireplace off to the side of my desk and walk over to a table. I lift the lid of a crystal decanter filled with the amber liquid of one of my favorite scotches and pour myself a glass. I take a large gulp with a sigh and take both the glass and decanter with me to my desk sitting down in my leather chair. I tap the desk lamp with my wand to turn it on seeing the picture of my family on our wedding day from nearly a year ago and it still amazes me how happy each of us look. I sigh and take another gulp of the scotch sitting back as I think of how my world is about to change.

I place the glass down and open the drawer to take out the inventory journal knowing that there are various things I need to get done for before Astoria's due date in a couple weeks on the 22nd. I take out a self-inking quill to check off the items I know I have in stock in the back rooms at the shop and run my finger down the long list that covers various pages making note of things I need to order. I find a spare sheet of parchment to write down the ingredients I'll need letting my mind flood with the information about potions glad for the distraction from thinking about what's to come. I squeeze in a quick note at the bottom of the sheet to my stocker and sign my name before folding it up to put it in envelope to put with the Owl-Post later on in the morning. I close the inventory book and sit back in my seat turning my chair to watch the fire in the grate as my mind begins to wonder to the baby yet again.

 _What if this hurts our relationship? Are we even ready to be parents? How will we do this and work? What if we forget things that are supposed to come naturally? What if our son realizes that his father is a coward and was a part of a group of some of the darkest witches and wizards of the decade? What if my son hates me?_

"You know as a Healer, I've been trained to sense patient's distress…" Astoria's sudden voice says cutting off the wild, incessant questions that I've asked myself repeatedly over the past six months and I turn my head to see her leaning on the doorframe.

"I'm not your patient." I say and get up from my comfortable chair to grab the decanter walking over to put it back in its place on a long table behind the leather couch that reminds me of the ones in the Slytherin Common Room. "You should be in bed asleep, love."

"As should you, my dragon." She says coming further into the room and brushes her hand against my back as she turns to lean on the arm of the couch closest to me. "What is it? What's bothering you?"

"Nothing, love. Come, let's go back to bed." I lie and my heart squeezes with guilt for not wanting to tell her, the love of my life, my doubts.

"Draco, you are forgetting that I know you better than anyone." She says and I sigh looking at her in a navy silk nightgown with her cream colored robe tied in a way that accentuates her baby bump. "I know that when you're upset or worried you have a hard time sleeping, which leads to either drinking or working too much and as of right now you are doing both so that means something is wrong. Not to mention the fact that it is barely six in the morning and you're drinking scotch."

"There's nothing wrong, Tor. I just couldn't sleep anymore and thought I'd get some work done." I say and walk back to my desk to put away the inventory book tapping my wand against the lamp to turn it back off.

"And you think I believe that?" She asks crossing her arms as I come toward her and she looks up at me with an almost angry expression. "This is the third time this week that you've gotten up from the bed really early or in the middle of the night."

"What do you want me to say, love? I can't sleep because all I can think about is how our world is going to change in the matter of weeks!" I exclaim the weight of guilt surrounding my heart like a vice suddenly loosens and I slump back against my desk.

"Of course our world is going to change, we're having a baby." Astoria says and steps closer to me placing her hands on my upper arms. "We are no longer going to be just a couple or Draco and Astoria, we are going to be a mummy and a daddy."

"How is it this is so easy for you?" I ask looking down at the baby bump that somehow has made my wife look even more beautiful over the past few months and my hand automatically rests against her stomach.

"I never said it was easy, Draco." She says with a sigh and turns to walk over to the couch to slowly sit down holding her hand out to me. "I was the one who was afraid to even tell you I was pregnant in the beginning and I've been a nervous wreck since November."

I push off my desk and come over to sit beside her tucking some of her behind her ear my thumb trailing her cheek. "What changed?"

"Do you remember the first time we heard the heartbeat?" She asks and leans her head against the palm of my hand looking at me as I nod.

"Of course."

"I realized then that this is our baby and that my dreams of being your wife and the mother to your children were finally coming true." Astoria says taking my free hand in hers and lays them both on her stomach. "You told me when I finally said I'm pregnant that you were excited and always wanted kids…Has that changed?"

"No, my love…" I answer quickly and look into her emerald eyes with a sigh. "I just fear that our son will hate me for what I've done."

"Does this have to do with the Death Eater thing?" She asks and raises her hands to cup my face stroking my cheek. "I've told you before that whatever happened in our pasts doesn't affect the love for each other, him or any other children we might have. When I fell in love with you, I knew you as a person who then became a Death Eater and understood that you were forced into being a follower of that horrid monster. I knew then that you would be a fantastic father because you've always been so protective of me and loving towards me even when I broke up with you for seven years."

"What was I supposed to do? Force you to stay with me when I could see that it was killing you?" I say and slide my arm along the back of the couch to rest against her shoulders my free hand rubbing her bump easily.

"That's exactly my point though, Dray…you loved me enough to let me go when I needed it." She says resting her hand over mine and looks at me. "I know deep in my bones that you would do anything for me and I also know that our children will never go unloved by us, their grandparents or any other family members."

"How will we tell them of the horrors we went through?" I ask and kiss her temple as she leans into my chest sighing softly.

"I don't know, love." She answers resting against me and I rub her back.

"I suppose we'll have to deal with that when the time comes." I say with a sigh and feel her body tense pulling back to see a look of pain on her face. "What's the matter? What hurts?"

"Just a pain across my back." She says taking a deep breath and closes her eyes. "The same pain woke me but it passed after a couple minutes."

"Do I need to get your Healer?" I ask and rub her back in an effort to comfort her watching as she opens her eyes to look at me with a shake of her head.

"I think it's just Braxton Hicks, love." She replies and I feel the tension in her back start to relax making my sudden panic start to calm down.

"Come on, let's get you back into bed and I'll have Poppy bring you breakfast in bed." I say and stand up to offer her my hands to help her up.

Astoria grips my hands and starts to pull herself to her feet a gasp leaving her lips as she looks down in shock.

"What? Another pain?" I ask panic filling me up again as I follow her eye line down to see a trail of liquid on the inside of her legs and I look into her eyes.

"I think my water just broke…" She mumbles and I can hear the tremor of fear in her voice as she grips my hands tighter looking at me. "I'm three weeks early."

"I know but it'll be alright, love." I say pressing a kiss to her forehead in hopes to calm her down and give her hands a gentle squeeze. "Let's get you upstairs and we'll send a Potronus to St. Mungo's for your Healer."

She nods and takes a deep breath as I step to the side of her slipping my arm around her back to lead her from my office. I rub her back as she stops on the stairs her right hand gripping the stair railing so hard her knuckles turn white and after a few deep breaths we make it to the landing. I open the curtains with a flick of my wand to let in the morning light once we enter our bedroom and lead Astoria around to her side of the bed helping her sit down on the edge. I stroke her hair as I stand in front of her and watch as she slips her robe off of her shoulders looking up at me with a sigh.

"Draco, I think we should go to St. Mungo's."

"I thought we agreed on a home birth." I say remembering how many discussions we've had over the past two months about the birth plan and finally agreed to having our son in the home he'd be raised just as my mother did with me.

"We did but I'm three weeks early and as a Healer, it concerns me." She says and raises her hand to my cheek looking up at me. "Besides we packed a bag just in case."

"Alright." I say with a nod and kiss her head tucking a bit of hair behind her ear. "Let me get dressed really quick and we'll go."

"Grab me some clothes." She says as I step back and remove my robe tossing it on one the chair in front of the fireplace.

"Are you sure? You'll just have to take them back off." I call out as I enter our bathroom stripping off my pajama bottoms and step into the walk-in closet to pull on a pair of jeans with a plain grey shirt.

"Yes, I know but I work there and I won't have all my co-workers seeing me in my nightgown." I hear Astoria say in a frustrated tone and I know that it is best that if I don't argue grabbing some shoes to slip on.

"What do you want me to grab?" I ask and turn to see her entering the bathroom to sit down on the bench that sits in front of her vanity. "Careful, love."

"I think there's a newer pair of lounge pants in the bottom drawer of my dresser." She answers rubbing her hands over her bump and I turn to find the navy pants. "And that shirt I had on yesterday is fine."

I quickly grab the loose fitting shirt she had on yesterday and come over to help her change into the clothes. I slip the flip flops she's been wearing most days on her swollen feet and take her hands to help her up. We look at each other with anxious smiles and I kiss her forehead hearing her sigh as my lips touch her skin. I rub her arms and pull back to grab the small suitcase packed as a precaution in the past few weeks using magic to shrink it so I can put it into my pocket. I take Astoria's hand to lead her downstairs again stopping with her when she has a contraction and murmur soothing words the best I can hating to see her in pain.

"What about the families?" She asks as we turn toward the living room and I curse under my breath having forgotten that we have to let them know as well.

"Poppy!" I shout my voice echoing through the quiet house and the mousey house-elf lands in front of us with a pop of Apparation.

"Yes, Master?"

"Astoria has gone into labor and we are going to St. Mungo's. I want you to inform each of our parents and her sister." I tell the elf and watch as the elf looks to her mistress who is very kind to her.

"Go, Poppy but tell them not to come very quickly. It could be a long wait and they won't want to stay forever." My wife says standing behind my chair by the fireplace and I see her hands grip the leather tightly.

"Come on, love." I coax and rest one hand on her back offering her my free hand.

I reach for the Floo Powder on the mantle and toss a handful into the grate stepping into the emerald flames as the house elf disappears to follow our commands. "St. Mungo's Hospital!"

I pace up and down the maternity ward corridor just outside the delivery room nervously spinning my wedding as I hear the Healer's words repeated in my head. _Mr. Malfoy, the baby is breach and we're going to need you to calm down so Astoria can or you will have to leave._ I take a deep breath and lean against the wall covering my face with my hands still hearing my wife's cries of pain throughout the day during her contractions. I swallow the sudden lump of emotion that seems stuck in my throat as I see her from nearly an hour ago turning pale before going weak and the Healers rushed her into the delivery room where I was left out in the hall. I take a deep breath and walk towards where my parents are sitting in a quiet corner of the waiting room next to Astoria's parents.

"What's happened?" My mother asks standing to look at me concern written on her face and steps closer to me.

"The baby is breach and there was complications…" I mutter and sit down in the chair beside my sister-in-law who is holding a sleeping Thea.

"What do you mean 'complications'?" Daphne asks her hand resting on my arm and I lean forward to rest my elbows on my knees holding my head in my hands. "Draco, talk to us."

"I don't know what to say!" I exclaim as I spring out the chair and run a hand through my hair sighing deeply. "My son is being born breach, my wife became distressed after hours upon hours of giving birth and when they rushed her away, I was told to stay out of the delivery room nearly an hour ago!"

"Shh, Draco." Mother says gently and steps closer to me rubbing my shoulder.

"I'm going to get some coffee." I say turning away from the family that has gathered here in support of me and Astoria but right now I find it hard to look at them.

"I'll get you some." My father says raising from his chair cutting off the conversation he was having with my father-in-law and I look back at him with a shake of my head.

"No, I need something to do and some time." I say as I walk out of the waiting room and turn down the hall following the signs towards the cafeteria even though I remember exactly where it is from days of training as a Potion Maker. I glance around the cafeteria that is quiet due to the late hour and step toward a machine that makes any drink you want with a flick of a wand after putting in a Sickle. I fish out a coin from my pocket before I grab two disposal cups to layer them together not wanting the hot drink to seep through and tap my wand against the machine watching the dark coffee come out. I grab a lid and straw as I walk to one of the empty booths to sit down grabbing a sugar packet to stir into the coffee.

I turn my head to look out the window at the darkened Muggle street and spot a pub across the street filled with various people enjoying their Saturday night out. I sigh and a light coming on in a room above the pub followed by the movement of a young woman stepping into the light yellow room and I see her lift a baby out of a crib. I take a slow sip of my coffee honestly wishing it was some sort of alcohol if I have to see someone else's baby with its mother both of which seem perfectly healthy while the fate of my own is still uncertain. I stifle a groan as I watch the dark haired woman unbeknownst to her or those outside the wards of the hidden hospital and my heart aches to see Astoria doing the same with our son. I look down at the old wood grain of the table as my mind wonders to the nursery at home in the Manor picturing my beautiful wife in the rocking chair with the baby and I can see him looking up at the ceiling we enchanted to look like a night sky. I rest my head in my hands and fight back the waves of emotions as I sit there daydreaming of what I know I've always wanted with Astoria.

"Malfoy?" I hear someone ask and look up to see the shaggy black hair and green eyes that are hidden behind spectacles on the face of a man I haven't seen except from a distance in eight years since he testified on behalf of me and my mother.

"Potter." I say clearing my throat to hide my emotion and nod to him.

"Been a long time." He says and takes a sip from a cup that matches my own.

"Eight years." I mutter as I sip my coffee and look at him still seeing the scrawny kids in a too big shirt that I met in Diagon Alley just before our first year at Hogwarts. "And it seems like nothing's changed."

"I think that a lot has changed." He says and sits down on the edge of the seat across from me pushing his glasses up his nose. "Last I heard, you have your own shop…"

"You've been in it." I say remembering days after we opened shop I came in to find my business partner, Elizabeth in a frenzy of excitement because The-Boy-Who-Lived came into the shop to by a potion for his sick son. "I wasn't there at the time but my partner and the manager took good care of you, I hope."

"Wait…the shop across from Fortescue's is yours?" He asks and looks to me with a surprised expression pointing at me. "The same shop that donates their leftover potions and extra ingredients to the children's ward here?"

"That was my wife's idea but yes." I answer with a nod and take a sip of my coffee turning the cup in my hand to give myself something to do besides ramble on. "She works here so she sees the day to day sickness that the children go through and it reminded me of my reasons why I wanted to have a shop that offers discounts and charity for those who need it."

"See, I told you a lot has change." Potter says after a long moment of stunned silence and gives me a small smile. "Is that why you're here? To drop off the donations or are you waiting on your wife?"

"No, my wife is giving birth and there's been some complications so I've been told to stay out of the way." I reply my eyes focused on the nearly empty coffee cup in my hand and I lean forward on my forearms.

"First kid, yeah?" He asks looking at me and I nod pinching the bridge of my nose with a sigh as my eyes close. "Boy or girl?"

"Boy." I answer and let my hand drop opening my eyes to look at him.

"Any names picked out?" He says and sipping the last of his drink.

"My wife said something about keeping my mother's side of the family's tradition of choosing a name from the constellations but I'm not so sure." I reply with a shrug and shake my head looking at the man across from me. "I think that she thinks she'll figure it out when she sees him."

"Merlin, you're in trouble." He says with a chuckle and sips his drink pointing to mine as he rises to his feet. "Can I get you a refill? You're going to need it, mate."

I look up to this young man who I ridiculed for years when we were children for being poor or favored because of the burden that was forced upon him as a baby and now I see someone who after everything, he would always be kind to anyone.

"Um, sure." I finally answer handing him the cup and reach into my pocket to dig out two Sickles. "Refill yours too."

"Thanks." He says and takes the coins before walking over to the machine.

I fidget with the sugar packet I opened early and look around the room to see a father sitting at a table with a young girl, who I assume is his daughter. I watch as the two of them talk playing a card game that I don't recognize and stifle a chuckle when she throws down her card in defeat a cute pout on her face. I look up as Potter returns with the two cups and sits down across from me as he hands me the one in his left hand. I nod my thanks opening another sugar packet to stir it into my coffee with the straw already in the cup and take a sip with a sigh.

"Assuming everything turns out okay, there will be a Potter and a Malfoy in the same year yet again." Potter says and I turn my focus back to him with a groan as I lean back against the booth.

"Merlin help McGonagall." I say with a laugh and push a hand through my hair.

"I'm just glad you said you're having a boy." He says chuckling and sips his coffee. "Just hope he's nothing like my oldest who is currently being healed from falling from the brick wall fence at the Burrow."

"Oh I'm sure if Tori wasn't otherwise occupied, she'd be the one healing him." I say and picture my wife in the children's ward with a miniature Harry Potter in her lap using magic to distract the child while she heals him.

"Tori? As in the girl you dated in school?" Potter asks looking at me with a nod and I sip my coffee.

"We took a break for a while after the war but yeah, I married her." I mutter and smile a bit at the memories of when we dated in school.

"I remember her actually." He says and looks at the salt shaker on the table to pick it up examining it before putting it back down. "In fact I think she healed Ginny at some point last year when she burnt herself."

"It's possible. She just goes where she's needed around here." I reply and sip my coffee glancing out the window to see the nursery window is dark again.

"How long has she worked here?" He asks and rests his free arm along the back of the booth sitting back casually.

"A little over a year now." I answer a bit taken aback at how easy this is after our rough past and it makes me wonder if he hadn't snubbed back when were kids, would we actually be friends?

"And you trained here to be a potions master? Is that how you reconnected?" He asks and I shake my head looking at him.

"No, we broke up with a deal to reconnect years later no matter where we were in life." I reply taking a final sip of my coffee and sigh. "After the war, she needed time and went to Beauxbatons to finish her seventh year of schooling then trained as a Healer there in Paris. When it came time to reconnect, she was considering transferring here to St. Mungo's to be closer to her sister and next thing you know we're married."

"Bloody hell, you two are a whirlwind." Potter says and chuckles shaking his head.

"I wouldn't have it any other way and I doubt I'd be here if it wasn't for me fighting for her." I say with a smile looking down a bit embarrassed to be expressing my feelings about the love of my life with a man I once hated.

"It's obvious she changed you for the better." He points out with a smile and leans forward to look at me seriously. "And so will having kids."

"I just want things to be okay." I say and look down at my hands turning my wedding ring with a sigh. "She's everything to me and I don't think I'd survive losing her permanently."

"Well, you're in a place that can literally preform magic for patients." He says with a grin and leans forward to pat my arm in a friendly gesture making me sigh. "I'm sure they're doing everything they can for her and your son."

"I hope so." I mumble and pull my arm back running my hand through my hair to make it look like a subtle thing rather than me feeling awkward about his friendliness.

"Uncle Harry!" A sudden voice exclaims and I turn my head to see a blur of turquoise hair rushing through the cafeteria to stand by the man across from me. "I've been looking for you forever!"

"Sorry, Teddy." Potter says and ruffles the young boy's hair as he stands. "Is everything alright with James?"

"Yes, they said he's fine and Ginny's ready to go home." The boy says leaning into the older man's side and I stand to toss my empty coffee cup into the trash that is nearby.

"I need to get going and check on my wife anyway." I say and sigh taking a deep breath as I think of what I could be facing.

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Potter says and rests his hands on the boy's shoulders to steer him out of the cafeteria looking at me as we enter the hall. "And don't believe everything they say about fatherhood, it really is great."

I nod and turn down the opposite direction that they go walking back toward the maternity ward with a deep sigh. I run a hand through my hair tiredly and stop just before entering the waiting room to lean on the wall for a moment. I press my back into the wall sinking down into a crouch and fold my hands together to offer up a prayer to whatever god is listening to save the two people I love most in this world. I press my hands to my lips and run them over my face taking a shuddering breath. As I push up from the floor my tired body protests from being here since the early hours of the morning and my head spins with the emotional turmoil of this that is supposed to be full of happiness. I turn to step into the waiting room and my mother immediately stands and I notice Astoria's parents are now no longer here.

"Mr. Malfoy?" I hear a female voice say suddenly and I turn around to see the caramel color skinned Healer who kicked me out of the delivery room a little over an hour ago entering the waiting room.

"Tell me she's okay." I insist and step toward the woman who we've had over to our house for dinner looking at my wife's friend.

"She is." She says and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"And the baby?" I ask and she steps closer to me resting a hand on my arm gently.

"They are both fine." She answers with a smile and gently squeezes my arm to lead me back into the hallway looking at me. "Draco, I just want to apologize for the way I behaved. I shouldn't have yelled at you or kicked you out of the delivery. When Tori's vitals bottomed out, I panicked and my Healer instincts kicked in to save her not only as my patient but as one of my best friends."

"I understand." I say looking into her dark eyes to see if she's hiding anything from me and place my hand over hers on my arm. "But Chantel, you are scarring me and I don't think I can handle much more."

"You're right, I'm sorry." She says and looks at me with a sigh. "Astoria is stable and should be waking up any moment."

"Can I see her?" I ask quickly and push a hand through my hair my mind racing at the thought of her waking up alone and without knowing what happened with our son.

"Where's the baby?" I hear my mother ask and I turn my head to see her standing in the doorway of the waiting room with Daphne wearing matching looks of concern. "Can we see him?"

"Ah yes, I'll take you all to him in the nursery while Draco has a moment with Astoria and then we'll let mummy and daddy have some bonding time." Chantel says with a kind smile and motions for us all to follow her down the hall stopping at the room where we were before the chaos began. "I'll bring the baby in soon."

"Thank you." I say nodding to my parents and Daphne as they pass me following the Healer further down the hall turning to where the nursery is. I take a deep breath and slowly push open the door to set my eyes on my wife in the hospital bed her skin a bit pale under the harsh light above her head. I frown slightly still seeing her hooked up to what she explained to me were just fluids through an IV drip on her left arm and see a cuff around the upper part of the other arm. I make my way to her right side and all the fears I had for her life in last hour vanish as I see her chest rising and falling with each breath she takes. I carefully sit on the edge of the bed that is in a halfway upright position to elevate her upper body and raise my head up to stroke her cheek watching her face scrunch up as she stirs awake. I shush her as she whimpers and lean forward to kiss her forehead tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"D-Dray…" She croaks out and I lean back a bit to look into her green eyes as they open slowly a frown appearing on her face. "Wha-What happened?"

"Your vitals bottomed out and you went unconscious. They rushed you to the delivery room and the rest I don't know because I was told to stay out." I explain in the gentlest tone I can and run my thumb along the shell of her ear sighing.

"A-And the baby?" She asks and I can see the fear in her eyes as I feel her right hand move up to my chest gripping my shirt slightly.

"Chantel says he's fine, my love." I say taking her hand in my free one and bring it up to my lips. "She's taken my parents and Daph to see him before bringing him to us."

"You haven't seen him?" She says with a frown and turns her head to look at the machine connected to the cuff on her arm slowly reaching over to turn it off with a sigh of relief. "Annoying thing."

"Should you do that?" I ask and rub my thumb over her knuckles.

"I'm a Healer, it's fine." She answers letting go of my hand to tug the cuff off her other arm and sighs looking back up at me. "You should've gone to see him too."

"I think we should be together when we see him for the first time." I say and lean down to press my forehead to hers closing my eyes. "You really scared me, love."

"Oh, my darling…" She whispers softly and I feel her hand raise to my jaw stroking along the stubble that I didn't have time to shave when we left the house this morning. "You need a shave, love."

I chuckle fighting back the sudden onslaught of emotions and I open my eyes to look into hers. "I was terrified I was going to lose you and our baby…"

"Draco, you know I'd never leave you if I could keep from it." Astoria says with a sad smile blinking back her own tears and shakes her head slightly. "I love you too much for that…"

"I love you too, Tor." I mutter and stroke her cheek leaning down to press a soft kiss to her lips.

"Knock, knock, mummy and daddy." A voice says as I pull back to stand up from the edge of the bed and I turn my head to see Chantel coming in the door with a rolling cot that has a little blue bundle in it. "I have someone who wants to meet you…"

"H-He's okay?" Astoria asks quietly and I notice her eyes are locked on to the cot as her friend pushes it next to us.

"We did every test we can for premature babies and he is fine. It took him a second to realize he was out of the womb and we knew his lungs were clear." The healer says with a chuckle as she carefully places her hands under the sleeping baby's head and body lifting him from the cot to place him in my wife's arms that seem to be made to hold him.

"Oh he's so tiny…" She whispers and I watch as she holds him against her with a tearful smile making my own eyes prickle with unshed tears.

"He's a little underweight but otherwise perfect." Chantel says stepping back as I move closer to look at my son's peaceful face and gently stroke the soft skin of his cheek.

"I think that's something we can handle." Astoria states confidently and looks up into my eyes with a sigh I know is relief.

"Yes, we can." I murmur pressing a kiss to her forehead and sit beside her hip.

"I'll give you two sometime before a Medi-witch comes to see about feeding him." Chantel says and starts to back out of the room quietly.

"Did our families leave?" I ask before she's out of the room and let my arm drape around my wife's shoulders against the pillow behind her head my thumb rubbing her arm absentmindedly.

"Oh yes, they wanted to give you time with the baby and to rest. I'm sure they'll be back in the morning." Chantel answers and smiles softly looking at us. "He truly is precious and congratulations."

"Thank you." Astoria and I say together making me chuckle and press a kiss to her hair as she looks down at our son in her arms.

I hear the door click closed and turn more toward Astoria looking down at the tiny baby as she gently removes the soft knit hat to reveal a thin layer of white blonde hair matted to his head. I smile as she runs the pads of her fingers along his hair he obviously inherited from my side of the family and she leans down pressing her lips to his forehead. She carefully starts to undo the bundle around his small body only in a nappy and we both watch him wriggle at the sudden warmth being gone. I gently rest my hand on his arm rubbing my thumb along his soft skin and watch in amazement as his face scrunches up in a yawn that is the cutest thing I've ever seen. I hear Astoria gasp softly seeing his eyes slowly start to open and I notice that they are a few shades darker grey than mine.

"He's definitely a Malfoy." My wife says and looks up at me with a smile leaning her head against my shoulder.

"Yes, he is." I reply pressing a kiss to her head as my thumb rubs over the top of his tiny hand and grin as he latches on to my pointer finger.

"We need to pick a name." Astoria says and lifts her head gently shushing him as a small cry leaves his lip. "Oh please don't cry, my little prince…"

"He probably knows you want to name him after a constellation." I mutter and chuckle when she hits me on the thigh glaring at me.

"Well, these names are certainly better than naming him after your idiot friend Vincent Crabbe." She hisses annoyed because we've had plenty of arguments over names in the past few weeks and sighs. "I think the book of names is in my bag."

"I never really wanted to name him after Crabbe, love." I say as I stand up to walk around the bed to the chair by the window where the carry on suitcase is that I enlarged after we first got here and open it back up to find to book.

"If only he was a girl…I already have that name picked out." She says and I turn to see her wrapping the baby up once again with the blue blanket.

"What name did you have picked out for a girl?" I ask coming to sit down in the chair by the bed and look at her.

"Cassiopeia Daphne." She answers and leans down to kiss the baby's head smiling softly.

"After your sister?" I say and raise a brow pushing a hand through my hair with a yawn as I watch her.

"Well, she is one of my best friends and practically raised me." She replies as she strokes his soft cheek and sighs.

"I know that, darling." I mutter knowing that Daphne has always been there for her and rest my hand on her arm.

"But that name doesn't work for you now, does it?" She says in that cute baby voice she uses when she talks to her niece, Thea and I smile loving how easy being a mother seems to be for her.

"Maybe we'll be able to use that name next time." I say reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear and open the book to the back where she wrote our top three that we like the most. "Alright…We have Aries, Lynx, and Perseus."

"I don't really like any of those now that I see his sweet face." Astoria says with a sigh and pouts slightly letting the baby suckle on her finger.

"You want me to read them out again?" I ask and lean forward to press a kiss to the white blonde hair and inhale the sweet scent of a newborn baby sitting back as Tori nods. I push a hand through my hair and start to read the long list constellation names yet again to my unsatisfied wife wanting to make her happy.

"Stop!" She gasps quietly and I look up from the book to her. "I like that one."

"Which one, love? Sagittarius or Scorpius?" I ask seeing that the baby has fallen back asleep and I smile at the sight of him snuggled in her arms.

"Scorpius." She says with a smile and looks at me biting her lip. "What do you think?"

I slowly get up to sit by her knees and look down at our son stroking his cheek gently. "I think Scorpius fits perfectly."

"And I think that it's time for Daddy to hold you, my little prince." She says starting to lean forward with him and I down the book on the bed below her feet before carefully taking him in my arms. "I just fell more in love with you…"

"All it took was a baby?" I ask jokingly and lean forward to peck her lips before standing up with the baby in my arms sitting down in the chair again.

"It definitely makes me see you in a whole new light." She says with a smile and leans back against the pillows looking tired.

"Rest, love. We'll be fine." I say leaning back in the chair and look down to take in the face of my newborn son. "Hello, Scorpius…"


	8. Chapter 8

Astoria's POV: Scorpius is three and gets hurt

I wake up with a sigh keeping my eyes closed as I reach out with my hand to feel Draco's side of the bed is empty and suddenly feel the bed dip at my feet knowing that small form anywhere. I quickly tug the sheet up to hide the smile on my face and stay as still as possible as my son starts to crawl up the bed.

"Roar!" I exclaim as I spring up at him and grin as he squeals with laughter falling back on the bed on his bottom.

"Mama, you scare me!" Scorpius says his "R's" sounding more like "W's" and stands up to waddle into my open arms.

"I scared you, huh?" I ask and hug him close to my chest kissing his messy blonde hair as I sit back against the headboard. "How long have you been up, my little prince?"

"Dunno." He mutters cuddling into me as he holds his favorite stuffed dragon toy and I look up to see Draco leaning on the doorway of our bedroom.

"He's been awake about thirty minutes and I've been fighting him off you the entire time." He says with a chuckle and pushes off the door to come join us on the bed ruffling Scorpius' hair. "He always wants his Mama."

"He wants you a lot too, love" I say and scoot down in the bed to lay back beside my husband turning my head to look at him. "Are you going to the shop today?"

"Yeah, Liz is still on her honeymoon so someone has to run the shop." Draco groans out as Scorpius crawls on to his chest and squeals when his daddy starts to tickle him lifting him up into the air. "But I won't go until we have breakfast."

"Good." I say and smooth Scorp's hair back smiling at him as he sits on his daddy's chest. "What should we have for breakfast?"

"Pancakes!" He answers just as he does every morning making Draco groan and shake his head.

"Do you ever want anything else, little man?" He asks and I lean my head on his shoulder watching my son in his green pajamas covered in golden snitches.

"How about we make some blueberry pancakes with bacon?" I ask picking up his brown dragon and make it tickle him as he falls my arms. "That way Scales can eat some meat and Daddy can have eggs."

"Okay, Mama." Scorp mutters and cuddles into me as Draco takes the dragon toy tossing it up in the air to catch it a few times. "Daddy, that mine!"

"Yours, eh?" He asks as Scorpius stands up between us and jumps up to try to catch it giggling as he misses it every time. "It was Mama's first."

"He was Mama's?" The toddler asks and falls down on his knees between us.

"Yup." Draco replies popping the "P" at the end of the word and looks at me with a smile that makes me see him as the young fifteen year old teenager he was when he won me the stuffed toy. "It was years ago and Mama and I went to a Magical carnival and I won her Scales by catching a snitch."

"Went to? More like we snuck out to go because our parents thought it was too beneath us to go on a date like that." I say with a chuckle and reach around Scorpius to rest my hand on Draco's arm smiling at the memories.

"It was one of my favorite dates." He says and raises my hand to kiss my knuckles.

"Mine too, love." I mumble squeezing his hand and sit up as Scorp quickly snatches his dragon from beside Draco with a laugh.

"Got him!" He cheers excitedly and bounces on his knees gasping as Draco starts to wrestle with him playfully. "Daddy!"

I chuckle as Draco tosses it up in the air again and grabs his wand from the nightstand levitating the toy just above the boy's reach before making it fly across the room to the couch that sits in the bay window area of our room.

"Fetch." My husband mutters and Scorpius slides down of the bed running over to the couch.

"Dray, he isn't a dog!" I exclaim with a frown slapping his thigh as I start to get up to grab my robe to slip it on and bend down to open my arms up to the boy. "Come here, my little prince. Daddy isn't playing nice, is he?"

"No, he is not." He mutters pouting cutely as I scoop him up in my arms and kiss his head with a sigh.

"I'll show you not nice." Draco whispers in my ear and I feel his arm snake around my waist as I feel him press up against my back.

"My Mama!" Scorpius says and wraps his arms around my neck pushing his daddy back as he hugs me tightly.

"She's mine too, bud." Draco says as he tugs me closer to him and presses a kiss to my cheek making me lean into him. "She was mine first."

"I'm both of yours, my loves." I affirm to the both of them and kiss each of their cheeks as rub the toddler's back. "Now, let's go downstairs to make some breakfast."

"I'll be down in a moment, darling." My husband says kissing my cheek and I nod as he lets my waist go to head into the bathroom knowing he's getting ready for the day.

I shift Scorp to one of my hips and head out of the room starting down the stairs to walk through the living room and into the kitchen. I put him down on island countertop across from the stove taking out my wand from my robe pocket to summon all the things that we'll need for breakfast and watch as Scorpius giggles as the things fly out from all different directions. I smile and kiss his forehead letting him help me measure the amount of flour we'll need to dump it into a large mixing bowl. I crack in the eggs and chuckle as he grabs the carton of fresh blueberries opening it up to pop one in his mouth. I hand him the tablespoon measuring spoon over the bowl as I pour the vanilla in it and he dumps it in grabbing the wooden spoon after all the ingredients are added to start mixing it all together. I turn my head to see Poppy nearby after hearing the pop of apparition and Scorpius smiles.

"Poppy!" He exclaims happily and eats another blueberry.

"Good morning, Master Scorpius." The house elf says with a smile and looks up at me with big brown eyes looking around the kitchen. "Is there anything you need or I can fix you, Mistress?"

"If you could start the coffee for us that would be lovely." I say and turn to heat the stove with a jab of my wand grabbing a ladle from a drawer to scoop the batter from the bowl as I place it by the stove.

"Yes, Mistress." Poppy says with a bow and snaps her tiny fingers to get the French pressed style coffee started before setting out the mugs. "Anything else, Mistress?"

"Scorpy, why don't you help Poppy set the table?" I ask turning to the boy still sitting on the counter and I put him on the floor when he nods.

I smile as they work together and the young boy babbles happily about the nonsense his toddler mind finds interesting as the House Elf listens intently. I get out another pan to start frying up some bacon and flip the two small pancakes I made for Scorpius. I push my hair back and suddenly feel the strong arms of my husband come around my waist feeling his nose nuzzle the skin of my neck. I giggle softly as he moves my hair to the opposite side of my neck and a shiver runs down my spine at the feel of his lips on the spot just under my ear. I bite my lip flipping a few strips of bacon and lean back into him with a sigh.

"Seems like Scorp's feeling better today." Draco mutters against my skin before pulling back to pour himself some coffee and I turn my head to look at the boy, who two days ago hardly wanted to eat due to him gaining two new molar teeth in his mouth.

"That potion of yours helped him the most." I say and place the cooked bacon on a plate to the side before getting out the yogurt from the fridge.

"I rubbed some on his gums when he got up to keep him from hurting." He says and I nod pushing my hair back.

"Good, I'll give him more around lunch if he needs it." I say and look over at my boy still talking to Poppy happily. "Bring me your plate, little prince."

"Here, Mama." He says holding his plate up to me and I place the two pancakes on it with a big dollop of yogurt beside them.

"You can tear it up and eat with your hands today." I say and watch as he carries the plate back to the table climbing in his seat.

"Here you go, love." I hear Draco say and turn my head to see him placing a mug beside the stove with a smile.

"Thank you, darling." I reply as he opens the fridge to grab the milk out adding some to my coffee before moving around me to pour some in Scorpius' cup on the table and kisses his head.

I smile and take a sip of my coffee making a couple more pancakes as I collect the bacon on a platter. "How do you want your eggs, love?"

"Fried, please." Draco answers and comes toward me with our plates that were on the table putting them on the island behind me as he leans against it. "If you want, I could bring home dinner tonight."

"From where?" I ask cracking three eggs into the same pan I used for the bacon and flip the pancakes with my wand.

"Fish and chips from The Leaky Cauldron? Or if you're in the mood for something nicer, there's always our favorite place." He suggests and I turn slightly to look at him in his navy suit watching as he sips his coffee.

"Scorp does love the chicken alfredo." I say and reach for one of the plates behind him placing two large pancakes on it with a couple pieces of bacon followed by two fried eggs to hand it to him.

"Thank you, love." He says stepping forward to kiss my cheek and grabs the yogurt to put some on his pancakes as he stands at the end of the island to eat. "Do you want me to get a whole big serving of the Alfredo?"

"I don't mind cooking before I leave, Draco." I answer and grab my plate to serve myself standing to the side of him as I eat.

"I know you don't mind but it limits your time with us." He replies as he looks at me and I sigh knowing he's right about when I work the nightshifts three days a week, it strains the nightly routine we have with Scorpius especially if I worry too much about cooking myself.

"Alright, just see if you can get shrimp in it too." I say and sip my coffee as I lean against the counter sighing.

"And a salad too." He adds cutting his last bite in half and I kiss his cheek as I walk past him to walk over to join Scorpius at the table.

"Daddy, there's Lynx!" The young boy says and points out the windows to our light grey and white owl flying up and down outside.

"Ah, thank you bud." Draco says as he walks by us placing his coffee mug on the table and lets in the bird. "I sent him out earlier with a letter and to get our mail."

I cut into a pancake and cross my legs watching as the owl lands on the table with a package and a beak full of mail to drop. I hand Scorp a part of my strip of bacon to feed the bird as a treat and smile as he stands on his chair to stroke the feathers on the animal's chest. I sit back as Draco pushes the Daily Prophet towards me picking up the other envelopes that he knows deal with work and picks up the box on to look at it.

"Looks like your cousin has sent Scorpius a gift." He says and Scorp turns his attention from the owl to his dad bouncing in the chair.

"I gots mail?" He asks excitedly and pulls his hand back when the owl nips at his finger annoyed that he's being ignored now. "Ow!"

"Let me see, baby." I say quickly and stand to move around him shooing back the bird as I take Scorpius' hand to see a small red mark on his finger. "Oh, you're okay…"

"I think opening this will help." Draco says standing across the table with the package and uses his wand to cut the tape across the top of box.

"Yeah!" The boy cheers and watches in anticipation as his father opens the gift.

"Claire said John had this made after their team won their last Quidditch match." Draco reads from a card he pulled out from the box and puts it down to lift a light blue and white vertical stripped jersey from the box a well-known French team's name and logo on the front. "Oh look at the back, bud!"

I laugh as he turns the jersey around to show that they had Malfoy put on the shirt with Draco's old Slytherin team number underneath and Scorpius reaches for it.

"Is that my name, Mama?" He asks with a big grin on his face and Draco hands it over the table to me.

"It says Malfoy, so yes." I answer and hold the shirt up to his body seeing it'll be a bit big for his small frame.

"Can I put it on?" He asks looking at me with same eyes that his father has and I nod unable to tell him no when he's so excited.

I wipe off his mouth and hands before slipping the miniature jersey over his pajama shirt. "Look at my little Quidditch player!"

"I be a Seeker just like Daddy!" The boy says excitedly and bounces happily.

"Speaking of which, they sent a Snitch." Draco says holding out a golden ball and comes around the table to flatten his palm as Scorp watches its tiny wings come out. "When I get home, we'll play with it."

"I want to now, Daddy." The boy says and I stroke his hair when I see him pout at his father.

"Daddy has to go to the shop today, my little prince but I'll play with you." I coo in effort to keep him from getting too upset and he turns to lean into me sighing softly.

"You and Mama will have tons of fun and when I get home I'll take you on a real flight, okay?" Draco says and kisses his son's head as he nods looking at me sadly.

"Go get your shoes on, baby. We'll play in the garden." I tell Scorpius putting him on the floor and hear his little feet running through the living room before he slows down on the stairs.

"Now, I just feel bad…" Draco mutters with a deep sigh and quickly plucks the Snitch from the air between us looking at it.

"Don't, love." I say and stack my plate on top of Scorpius's carrying them with one hand to the sink taking the last swig of milk from the glass in my other hand. "You have your responsibilities and the shop is one of them."

"Scorpy is one of them too, Tor." He says and comes over with our coffee mugs.

"Yes, I know but I think he understands the difference in playtime and worktime." I say and turn to look at him raising my hand to stroke his cheek. "On your next day off, we'll have a family day."

"You really are the best." He says pressing a kiss to my forehead and I raise up on my toes to kiss his cheek.

"I know." I reply with a smirk and turn to clean up the kitchen with a flick of my wand laughing as he kisses my cheek. "Get out of here, my dragon."

"I love you." He mutters against my skin and I follow him out of the kitchen to watch as he kneels down to Scorpius at the bottom of the stairs to hug him before turning to toss me the Snitch. "Have fun playing, loves."

"We will." I say catching it and lean down as Scorp comes to me to pick him up.

"Bye, Daddy." He says as Draco steps into the emerald flames in the fireplace and I kiss his head hugging him close.

"Alright, now Mama needs to go change and then we will go out to the garden." I say and put him down on the floor kneeling down to him.

"Can I hold the Snitch?" He asks and looks at the small ball in my hand reaching for it but I hold it tight while I look at him seriously.

"Do not let it go until I come back out and watch you." I tell him and he nods closing his hand around it tightly before turning to run towards the doors that lead to the back garden. "Don't go past the fountain, Scorpius."

"Okay, Mama!" He shouts as he goes outside and I see Poppy leaving the playroom to look outside.

"Poppy will watch him, Mistress." The elf says and I nod knowing she will not let anything happen to the boy.

I head upstairs slipping my robe off to lay it across the bed as I walk toward the bathroom and change into a pair of comfortable knit pants I wear on lazy days at home with a simple long sleeved shirt glad that there are a couple more weeks of warmer autumn days before the winter weather finally sets in. I run a brush through my hair before pulling it back in a ponytail knowing full well that my little boy will keep me active and find a pair of tennis shoes. I slip my wedding ring on before I grab my wand from the pocket of my robe and pick up the book from my nightstand on the way out of the bedroom. I walk downstairs and out the back doors to place my book down on a table we use sometimes to eat at if the weather is nice making note that we could have lunch out here today. I spot Scorpius with his miniature broom that Draco insisted we get him for his birthday and watch as if in slow motion as he mounts the broom dropping the Snitch, which flies up in the air and he kicks off the ground. I gasp as the normally low flying broom takes off arching up into the air and Scorp lets go of the broom handle to reach for the Snitch falling to the stone path around the fountain with a cry.

"Scorpius!" I shout and run forward to land on my knees beside him carefully laying my hand on his back as he lays on the ground in a heap. "Let Mama move you, baby."

He whimpers as I slowly turn him over resting my hand behind his head and frown seeing a bad scrape just under the outside corner of left eye. I stroke his hair back to comfort him as he cries and gasp seeing his wrist is not only starting to swell but is bent at an odd angle. I quickly use my wand to scan his arm seeing that a small bone in his wrist is broken and quickly mutter the spell to heal the injury but know it will be terribly sore for a few days. I use my wand to scan over the rest of his body to see that there are no other broken bones or any other very painful injuries and carefully stand him up as he still sobs.

"Shhh, my little prince…" I murmur taking him in my arms and he buries his face in my neck as I get to my feet feeling his little body shake. "Mama's here, my love."

I rub his back as I carry him back inside and carefully lean his head back to see the scrape on his cheekbone is bleeding some. I murmur sweet words in his ear in an effort to try to calm him walking up the stairs to take him into my bathroom and sit him down on the counter by the sink. I frown as I notice that there is dirt smudged all along the left side of his body from where he landed on the ground and his right hand grips the front of my shirt. I press a kiss to his forehead rubbing his arm that isn't hurt and stay close in front of him as I get out a wash cloth to run under the tap.

"This might sting but it'll be okay, baby." I say in a gentle tone and push some of his hair back shushing his cries of protests as I gingerly clean up the scrape on his cheek. "Let's get you out of these dirty clothes, buddy."

I carefully remove the Quidditch jersey from his body easing it down his left arm so I don't jar his wrist and stop when he gasps as I remove his pajama shirt.

"M-Mama!" He cries out still shaking a bit as I press the cloth to his face and leans forward into my chest. "It hurts…"

"What hurts the most? Your face or your wrist?" I ask and kiss his head watching as he holds up his still slightly swollen wrist that is now an awful red color. "Poppy!"

I rub Scorpius' back and look up in the mirror at the house elf as she Apparates behind me. "I need you to get me an ice pack from the kitchen, a phial of the Murtlap Essence and a pain potion from Draco's office, and a roll of bandages from my bag, please."

"Right away, Mistress." The house elf squeaks disappearing again and I help Scorp take off his pajama bottoms that I notice have a rip in the knee where he has another scrape that isn't so bad.

"My poor baby is all beat up today…" I mutter and look at him as he sniffs looking down at his lap with a sad sigh. "But Mama is going to make you all better and then you and I will have lazy cuddle day, okay?"

I give him a sad smile as he looks up at me with a nod and I press a kiss his head turning to Poppy when she returns with all the things I asked for.

"Okay, we're going to take some pain potion first and then we'll use the Murtlap on your scrapes." I say taking the two phials from the house elf and look at Scorpius, who is staring at the blue potion of Murtlap with scared looking eyes. "Oh baby, this will make your scrapes feel all better and then I'll put some salve on it that will make it all go away."

"But that one taste funny, Mama." He says using his uninjured hand to point to the red pain potion and then sticks his first two fingers of the same hand in his mouth to suck on them like he does whenever he is really upset or distressed.

"How about Poppy goes to get Master Scorpius a glass of pumpkin juice?" The house elf says and looks up at me as she still stands beside me.

"That's a very good idea, Poppy." I reply and nod smiling as she Disapparates with a pop.

I use the cloth I had earlier to clean the scrape on his knee and turn when Poppy returns with a glass of my son's favorite juice. I reach for the glass beside Draco's sink he uses for mouthwash and clean it with a simple spell before pouring in enough of the red liquid to cover the bottom of the glass. I help Scorpius drink it down and hand him the pumpkin juice to watch him jug most of the drink. I kiss his head and carefully lift his injured wrist wrapping it in the bandages and place the ice pack under the last layer so we don't have to hold it. I pick up the phial of Murtlap Essence squeezing the stopper on top to fill it up and a few drops of the blue potion on each of his scrapes. I shush his whimpers of protest and know that the potion stings before finally clotting the blood and scarring over.

"They feel better, Mama." Scorpius says and looks up at me as I close the phials of potions before picking him up to put him on my hip.

"I'm glad, baby." I murmur pressing a kiss to his head as I take him with me to my side of the bed and sit him down on the sheets him only in his underwear. He sucks on his two fingers again as I get out a silver star container of Star Grass Salve from the drawer in my nightstand and flip the top open. I smear some of the green tinted salve over his scrapes and hear him sigh just like Draco and I do when we use the same paste to soothe our scars when the occasionally ache. I quickly step into the bathroom to wash my hands and cut off a short piece of bandage to place over his knee before picking him up again.

"Now, let's go get you dressed and find Scales." I say and hug him close to me when he snuggles against my chest as we head to his room.

"I want Daddy, Mama…" He mutters and leans his forehead against my neck sighing.

"I know you do, my little prince but he's at the shop." I say as we enter his bedroom and kneel down to place him on the soft carpeted floor before walking over to his dresser to open his pajama drawer. "Which ones, baby?"

"Dragons to match Scales." He mumbles speaking around his fingers and I turn to kneel down in front of him once I find his blue pajamas we got him recently that has dragons all along the pants and a big one on the front of the matching shirt that's a bit big on him.

"How about we read your favorite story?" I ask and help him get dressed careful with his wrist kissing his cheek.

" _Babbitty Rabbitty_?" He asks looking at me as he sucks on his fingers and turns toward his dark grey toddler bed to grab Scales from it. "Mama, are we having a pajama day?"

"I'd say we are, baby." I say and get up from the floor to walk over to his built-in bookshelf that sit on either side of his window seat. "Do you want to go sit in the library and have a snack while I read?"

"I want a banana." He says as my hand finds _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ out of the night habit of getting out this exact book to read to him every night and I nod.

"With peanut butter?" I ask and walk toward him to offer him my free hand leading him out of the blue, grey, dragon and Quidditch themed room.

"Yes, please." He answers as we head downstairs and I hand him the book kissing his head gently. "Go curl up on the couch and I'll go make us a snack."

I watch him as he enters the library that doubles as Draco's office and sigh remembering how last week I found him hiding under the large mahogany desk with his beloved stuffed dragon and a few other toys. I smile at the memory making my way to the kitchen to get a couple of bananas and scoop out some peanut butter to spread on each slice adding a couple of chocolate chips on each one for a special treat for Scorp. I use my wand to vanish the banana peels and spread them around a plate grabbing a glass from the cupboard. I quickly get out a tray to put the plate on and pour a glass of pumpkin juice for him and use magic to heat up the kettle to make myself a cup of tea. I carry the tray with me as I walk through to the library and find Scorpius in the corner of the couch hugging his dragon close to him with a sad look on his face.

"What's wrong, baby? Are you hurting?" I ask and place the tray down on the coffee table sitting down beside him as he shakes his head. "Come on, my little prince…I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"I wanted to play Quidditch all day…" He mumbled with a pout and hugs dragon tighter staring into the fire in the grate across from us that is still blazing from Poppy's usual morning chore of starting the fires in the main rooms we use. "Daddy will be mad I lost the Snitch."

"No, he won't baby…I'll talk to him." I say carefully pulling him into my lap and cuddle him close as I press a kiss to his head. "Ready to read _Babbitty Rabbitty_?"

I smile as he nods and leans forward to grab a slice of the banana I brought us to pop it in his mouth before settling back against my chest. I grab the book from beside us and open it up to the right page holding it open to let him see the pictures on the pages as I start to read. I smile as he laughs at the funny voices I use and we share the banana slices cuddling together most of the day especially since he won't let me get very far for very long.

I stir awake feeling a hand on my shoulder and turn my head to see Draco standing above me as I lay on the couch with Scorp a look of concern on his face. I press a finger to my lips to signal for him to stay quiet and slowly sit up careful not to disturb the napping toddler who looks very peaceful at this moment. I lay the blanket that we had over us over his body once I get up and stroke the hair back out of his face seeing that the scrape on his cheek is just a small red mark now. I turn as Draco takes my hand and let him lead me out of the library where we stayed most of the day. I glance at the clock on the mantle in the living room to see that it is just after five in the evening and push my hair back with a yawn.

"What happened?" Draco asks gaining my attention again and I sigh tiredly.

"I went upstairs to change and let him have the Snitch to hold and when I came back down to find him outside with his broom. He got on but accidently let the Snitch go and when he kicked off to try to get it, the broom went too high and he fell on the path by the fountain breaking a bone in his wrist." I explain and cross my arms rubbing my arms as I look up to my husband. "I healed it as fast as I could but he's been really clingy all day and I sent in a letter to work to take off tonight."

"I knew I should've told you to charm it to fly slower and lower down." He replies with a deep sigh and rubs his forehead shaking his head. "Was the broken wrist the only injury he had?"

"Just a couple of scrapes." I answer and step closer to wrap my arms around his waist hugging him close. "I used some of your Murtlap Essence on those and been giving him some pain potion every few hours, which is almost empty."

"I'll make us more." He says and kisses my head hugging me close to him. "I'm so glad you were here with him instead of me."

"You would've done fine with him, my love." I say rubbing his sides as I lean into his chest and close my eyes.

"I brought home dinner." He says and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear as I lean back to look at him smiling softly.

"Good, I'm starving" I mutter raising up on my toes to kiss his cheek and take his hand to pull him with me to the kitchen where the big sack of to go food sits on the island countertop. "How was the shop today?"

"Busy. I had a bunch of students preparing their potion kits for school." He answers and helps me unpack the containers of food opening one that happens to a big salad. "Should I go wake Scorp?"

"No, hopefully he'll wake soon." I say and get out a bottle of vinaigrette dressing from the fridge as Draco gets out two plates placing the on the counter. "He's had a rough day and needs rest."

"So, he didn't even get to play today?" He asks serving us some salad on each of the plates and gets out two forks.

"No, not really. He just wanted to sit with me and cuddle listening to me read or color, which was hard because he had to use his other hand." I answer with a sigh and serve us some of the fettucine Alfredo placing the grilled chicken and shrimp on top. "He was pretty upset that he lost the Snitch and didn't want you to be angry with him."

"I don't care a thing about the Snitch when my boy is hurt." Draco says and looks at me sighing as he steps around the counter to grab a bottle of red wine from a rack next to the door of the pantry.

"I know, darling." I say and toss him a bottle opener from a drawer in the island.

"So, why would he be worried about me being upset over a silly ball?" He asks as he gets out two glasses pouring us each one and hands me the stemless glass.

"He's just a boy who wants to make you proud." I answer and shrug my shoulders taking a sip of the wine. "He adores you and I'm sure it was because he was upset with himself for letting go of the ball after I told him not to."

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right." He says and takes a bite of the pasta leaning against the counter. "So, other than the incident how was your day?"

"Well, he didn't let me get very far all day so we read a lot and he listened to the wireless while I worked a bit on a few cases to send in with the letter telling them I needed the night off." I answer and twirl some pasta on my fork with a bite of shrimp.

"Did you take off because he's hurt?" He asks sipping some wine and eats a bite.

"That and I think he needs us both tonight." I say and add some dressing to my salad turning my head when hear the pitter patter of little feet behind us.

"Mama…" The toddler says his voice still sleepy sounding and I turn fully around to see him rubbing his eyes with his uninjured hand.

"Hi, baby." I say and kneel down to him as he walks over to me falling into my arms.

"Hey, bud." Draco says as I stand up with him in my arms putting him on my hip and lean on the counter. "Mama told me what happened."

"Are you mad?" Scorpius asks and sticks his two fingers in his mouth looking at the older man with the same eyes he has.

"No, little man." My husband mutters stepping toward us to kiss his head and I smile as I realize just how much Draco loves our son.


	9. Chapter 9

Draco's POV: Scorpius's 6th Birthday

I groan seeing that is well past time that I return home and know that most of our usual house guests have left with the exception of my parents who have stayed over during the week of Scorpius's birthday ever since he turned two. I rub my hands over my face and stand up from my desk chair that I've been in for nearly an hour and close the inventory notebook turning out the desk lamp with a flick of my wand as I leave the office in the back of the shop. I stop to open the door of a storage closet that expands underground to large brewing room and walk down the five steps turning on the lights to see the small crate hidden away in the corner. I kneel down to lift the blanket from the crate to look past the metal bars at the eight week old black and brown German Shepard puppy that I still can't believe my wife convinced me to get and wriggle my fingers as the dog rubs its head against the my hand. I sigh as it gives me a playful yap and looks at me with dark brown eyes that seem to say 'Take me home already.'

"You better be worth it." I mutter as I stand back up and lay the blanket over the crate to carry it with me upstairs using my free hand to close down the shop with a swipe of my wand. I place the crate down while I roll down the sleeves of my shirt to hide the faded mark on my left forearm from those who still hate what it represents and grab the crate on my way out of the shop muttering the spell to put up the wards that keep burglars out. I sigh and nod to a man who raises a hand in greeting as he passes my shop turning to walk along the stone covered path of Diagon Alley to make my way to the fire grate that I use to Floo here and back home. I step into the fireplace and step back out into my office at home moments later glancing around at the party bunting that are still around the bookshelf lined walls. I walk through to the living room and nod to the house elves that are cleaning up the trash left from the party we had just hours ago with Scorp's friends from his study group he attends three times a week. I shake my head in disbelief as I think of how my son is now six years old when it seems like just yesterday that he was born and now he is reading books all on his own that reminds of Astoria when we first met as children. I stop when I notice my wife's golden hair over the top of my favorite chair by the fire and walk over quietly to see her still in the lovely summery flower patterned dress with a mug of tea in her hands staring into the fire.

"Love…" I say and bite back a chuckle as she jumps looking up to me.

"Draco, don't do that!" She hisses and slaps my arm as I kneel down beside her to place the crate down watching her place the mug down on the table opposite of me. "Is this him?"

"Ah, yes." I reply and uncover the crate to look at the young pup as it looks up at my wife when she leans down to open the crate door lifting it out.

"Aren't you beautiful?" She says with a smile and gathers the dog in her lap laughing as it raises up to lick her face. "I still can't believe you agreed to get Scorp a puppy. You hated my cat when we started dating."

"Your cat was evil." I say and chuckle petting the dog's head.

"Merlin, you were right about his ear!" She exclaims and cups its face leaning forward to kiss his head.

"Yes, he has bat ears." I say and remember the first time I saw the dog the huge ears was what I saw first thinking how cute it is that one ear always folds down.

"He's precious, love." Tori says and holds the dog close scratching his back.

"I'm glad you think so." I say and watch her noting that this is the first time in weeks that I've seen her react so excitedly. "How are you feeling?"

"I told you I'm okay, Draco." She answers stroking the dog's fur as it settles in her lap and I reach to tuck a loose curl from her braid behind her ear.

"And I told you that I'm still worried about you." I say and let my hand run down her arm to rest on hers against the dog's back looking into her eyes. "You've been so distant lately and it scares me, love."

"Of course I've been distant, Draco…I lost our daughter." Astoria says a bit harsher than I think she meant and I can see the pain in her eyes remembering the ache I know we both still feel from her miscarriage two months ago. "And tomorrow I have to see my cousin, who is pregnant again."

"I will be by your side the entire time, my darling." I say and squeeze her hand as she looks down at the puppy whose head is resting on her arm as if he knows that she is upset. "Looks like someone likes you."

"It certainly seems that way." She mutters with a watery smile gathering the pup in her arms as she stands and I raise to my feet to gently wipe away a stray tear that has fallen down her cheek. "Where are we going to put him until tomorrow?"

"The basement with the elves?" I suggest and shrug my shoulders picking up the crate from the floor.

"Let's put him in our bathroom for tonight and you can hide him down there in the morning." She says and I follow her up the stairs chuckling as the dog looks at me with his head on her shoulder just as Scorp used to when she'd carry him.

"You just want to play with him." I say with a smirk as we enter our bedroom and close the French doors turning to see her put the dog down to let him explore.

"And you don't?" She asks with her own smirk raising a brow as she takes the crate from me to put it in the bathroom and grabs a toy from inside it. "What do you think Scorp will name him?"

I loosen my tie as I come to sit down at the end of the bed slipping off my dress shoes and watch as she rolls the toy across the floor to make the pup run after it. "I don't know, love. I assume he passed out pretty fast tonight?"

"According to your mum, yes." She answers and kneels down to the puppy tugging the toy from between his teeth. "He had a big day and was exhausted after the party."

"Oh I'm sure. They all ran around the garden most of the time." I say with a chuckle as I think about the group of ten kids running around the garden playing all kinds of games before a rain shower made us all come inside and have cake early.

"Yes, the flowers are a wreck." My wife says regaining my attention and I get up to follow her into the bathroom tugging off my tie.

"Wait until the dog gets ahold of them." I reply and chuckle as she nudges me before walking over to the tub to turn on the tap.

"We will train him not to chew up my flowers." She says as she tests the water with one hand before reaching down to put the stopper in place and adds in the lavender oils that help her relax.

"We? You're forgetting, darling that I have a shop to run." I joke wanting to see if it gets the usual fun response I'm used to or starts an argument like it has in the past couple of weeks since she miscarried.

"Oh I haven't forgotten anything, my love." She retorts and I lean on the door jamb of the closet with a smile as I see a smirk on her face watching as she unbuttons her dress. "I can convince you to help the pup."

"And how will you do that?" I ask as I unbutton my shirt tugging it out of the waistband of my dress slacks and my eyes trail down her curvy figure.

"Oh I think you know." She says and moves to stand in front of her sink to tie her hair up at the back of her head leaning down to wash her face.

I smirk at her playfulness tonight and go to hang up my belt before tossing my shirt and pants in the laundry hamper. I remove my watch Astoria got me a few Christmases ago and run my thumb over the engraving on the back of its face that reads, _'Always, my dragon._ ' I walk back through in only a pair of boxers to my vanity to place the watch on top of my jewelry box that holds other watches, cufflinks and my rings when I'm not wearing them. I take off the Malfoy family ring from my right hand and quickly brush my teeth before turning to watch my wife. I heave a sigh walking over to wrap my arms around her slim waist from behind and press a kiss to the crook of her neck.

"Mm hi, my dragon…" Astoria says turning her head to kiss my cheek and I feel her lean back into my chest with a sigh.

"Mind if I join you in the tub?" I ask and let my hands rub against her flat stomach that weeks ago had started to round out with the new life of our baby girl.

"I'd like that." She answers and turns in my arms to face me sliding her arms around my neck. "What are you thinking about?"

"I was just thinking how lucky I am to have you as my wife." I say knowing that if I bring up the baby it will only upset her or lead to a fight, which is not what I want after such a great day we've had celebrating our son's birthday with not only his friends but ours as well. "And that I can't believe our boy will be six tomorrow."

"Don't remind me!" She exclaims with a groan and leans her head back sighing. "It makes me feel old…"

"Wait another five years when he leaves for Hogwarts…" I say and slide my hands under the soft fabric of her opened dress to rub her sides pulling her into a warm embrace when she pouts.

"I can't even think about that." She mumbles into my shoulder rocking with me on her toes and I pull back to look at her as she starts to laugh.

"What's funny?" I ask and raise a brow turning to follow he line of sight to the puppy laying around on the floor on its back with his legs sprawled out and the toy between his teeth.

"Scorpius will love him." Astoria says as she leans into my side and I feel her lips against my jaw hugging her closer to me with a sigh.

"I hope so." I mutter pressing my lips against her temple and let go of her to walk over to the pup to scratch his belly.

"I'm going to get us a glass of wine." I hear Tori say behind me as the dog rolls over to sit up and I hear the tap on the tub turn off looking over my shoulder at her tying her navy silk robe over her now bare body.

"Make mine a scotch." I tell her and stand up as she comes closer to me smiling.

"On the rocks?" She asks with a brow raised and I quickly tug her close to me leaning my forehead down against hers as she rests her hands on my chest.

"I love how you know me so well." I say and look into her green eyes that seem so much brighter and happier than they have been in the past two months. She smiles raising up on her toes to press a chaste kiss to my lips and I smirk feeling her body against mine own briefly before she turns to walk out of the room. I watch her for a moment and turn back towards the dog as he jumps up to put his two front paws on my legs with a yap. I quickly shush him grabbing the toy to toss it across the floor and walk back to the bathroom to get my wand so I can place a Silencing charm on our rooms. I get the dogs attention and pet him once he runs over to me picking him up to place him in the crate with his toy and the blanket watching as he curls up in the back corner.

I stroke his ears for a moment before using magic to dim the lights in the bathroom and light a few candles that Astoria has on the inset shelf above the tub. I lay my wand down beside my sink and take off my boxers stepping into the hot water to sit back with a sigh. I rest my arms along either side of the rim of tub and look up at my wife as she comes in looking at me with a soft smile. I reach to take the glasses from her hands to place them on the ledge against the wall as she removes her robe and offer her a hand to help her climb in passing the wine glass back to her once she settles in my lap. I take a sip of my scotch and look at her painted red toes just sticking out of the top of the water hearing her sigh as she rests her head back against my shoulder.

"Okay there, love?" I ask quietly and press a kiss to her shoulder rubbing my free hand along her upper arm.

"Just thinking…" She answers taking a rather large sip of her wine and leans her head back against me to close her eyes.

"What about?" I question and nuzzle the spot under her ear where I know she likes.

"All of the what ifs I know that we both secretly ask ourselves." She says and I frown hearing the shakiness in her voice.

"Oh Tor…" I mutter against her skin and carefully take the glass from her hand to place next to mine turning her slightly so we can look at each other.

"I-I just keep think what if we had started trying sooner? Or what if I had done the smart thing and gone to see my Healer to see if we even could have more children? Or what if I—"

"Astoria, you can't do this to yourself…" I interrupt her and gently cup her cheek with one hand while my other arm drapes around her waist resting my hand on her hip. "I know you're in pain, my darling and so am I but we have each other, we have our little boy who gives us so much happiness."

"I know you are right, love but I just keep seeing how perfectly she'd fit in our lives…" She says tucking her head into my neck and I watch her fingers trail along the line of one of the scars on my chest. "I think that's why I pushed for us to get the dog for Scorp because it would be like having another family member and give him a buddy at home."

"Maybe we can try again in a couple months." I suggest and rub her back gently pressing a kiss to her forehead as she starts to sob. "Love, I promise that we'll try again."

"There's no point." She chokes out sniffling and I pull back to look at her.

"What do you mean?" I ask and look into her eyes moving a piece of her hair that has fallen out of her bun.

"I went to see Chantel two weeks ago while Scorp was with his study group on that trip to the Muggle museum." She answers and I frown knowing that Chantel is her Midwife/Healer who now likes to specialize in cases that have difficulties carrying to term. "I got concerned when Scorp was born early but when things turned out okay, I told the panicking Healer inside me to let it go."

"Astoria, what are you saying?" I ask pushing a hand through my hair and watch as she starts to climb out of the tub to grab two towels from the cupboard across the room.

"Chantel ran some tests and found something." She says and wraps one of the towels around her body stepping in front of her vanity as I quickly get out of the tub to wrap the other towel around my waist.

"Tell me you are not dying?" I say quickly pulling out the plug in the tub and shake the water off my arm. "Are you sick or something?"

"No, Draco I am not sick nor am I dying." She says with a sigh that sounds annoyed and turns around to lean back against the counter of her vanity crossing her arms.

"Then what is it? You're starting to scare me." I say getting frustrated that she isn't just telling me what is wrong and step closer to her.

"Did you ever stop to think this is why I haven't told you?" She asks and shakes her head shifting her weight to step around me to go into the closet.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" I ask and follow her to lean on the doorjamb.

"You, much like me, overreact to news like this and Draco, I love how overprotective you are of me and Scorp but sometimes it can be a bit too much." Astoria says as she starts to get dressed in her pajamas and tosses me a pair of boxers looking at me. "Chantel said we got lucky with Scorpius and that we could again if we tried to do things naturally but it's unlikely because of all the scar tissue."

"Scar tissue?" I repeat tugging on the boxers and look at her in confusion.

"I asked Chantel not to dig deeper at that point." She replies and grabs the towels from the floor walking past me as I step forward to grab a pair of pajama pants from the third drawer down in my dresser. "I assume that it's a result of years of abuse and probably the torture I endured during the war…"

I slam the drawer closed and close my eyes taking a deep breath as my anger over the pain that my father-in-law caused in my wife's life comes in a sudden wave of emotion.

"Draco…" I hear Astoria say gently and open my eyes turning my head to see her in the closet doorway with the puppy in hers, which makes my racing heart slow at how cute the scene is. "Are you angry with me for not telling you or is it just the situation?"

"It's the situation." I answer and come over to her scratching the dog's ears when it sniffs at me. "Is there nothing that the Healers can do?"

"There are treatments we could try but it cause me to be very weak and toward the end of the pregnancy, that could be fatal." She says her voice sounding a bit shaky now and I can see the tears in her eyes as she rubs the fur on the pup's chest. "It would be as if we were choosing between our child's life and mine…"

"Oh love…" I mutter and lean forward to press a kiss to her forehead sighing as she puts the dog down on the tile floor reaching behind me to close the closet door. I watch as she takes her hair down and runs a brush through her thick wavy hair before going into the bedroom. I sigh picking up my wand from my vanity to extinguish the candles I lit earlier and turn to walk out of the bathroom making sure the dog is closed in. I frown as I see Astoria fiddling with the pages of a book she's been reading lately distractedly and I put my wand on my nightstand to climb into my side of the bed. I reach over to gently take the book from her and put it aside to take her in my arms cupping her cheek.

"I would love to have more children, my love but I don't think I do any of it without you." I say and look into her eyes tucking her hair behind her ear. "You are not only the love of my life but an amazing mother to our son and I will not risk losing you for his sake as well as my own."

"I love you too." She mutters and moves closer to cuddle into my chest sighing. "I'm glad that you're saying that because I don't think I could go through the pain of losing another baby."

"Me either, my darling." I whisper kissing her head and pull the blankets up around us before turning out our bedside lamp with magic.

"I doubt that this is how you wanted tonight to end." She says quietly and I feel her leg rest between mine as her hand rubs my side her head laying on my shoulder.

"I'm just glad to have you in my arms." I reply in the dark room and rub my hand along her back feeling us both start to drift off to sleep.

"We have one last gift for you, Scorpy." Astoria says standing behind Scorpius as he sits at the big table we set up this morning in the garden for his family barbecue birthday lunch and the boy looks up from his newly opened broomstick from my parents.

"What is it?" He asks and my wife nods at me with a smile.

I pass the magical camera over to my mother and quickly turn to run inside the house where Poppy is with the box that holds the puppy wrapped up like a gift. I smile at the house elf and head back outside to the table where everyone had gathered moments ago to watch Scorp open his gifts before we have cake. I place the box on the ground in front of where he's standing and wrap my arm around my wife's waist as we watch him start to lift the top off the box. I laugh as he lets out a squeal upon seeing the puppy inside the box with a big blue bow tied around its neck and all the other kids in the family quickly move closer to him. Scorpius bends down to lift the pup out of the box and holds him close to his body laughing as it licks his face.

"He's really mine?" He asks looking up at us and I can see the excitement in his face.

"He sure is, baby." Astoria says and kneels down to him kissing his head.

"Thank you, Mama and Dad!" He exclaims moving forward to hug her neck with one arm and kisses her cheek.

"You're welcome, little man." I say and kneel down next to my wife as he puts the pup down to hug me as well giggling as it sniffs him. "What do you want to name him?"

"Um…what about Zeus?" He asks giggling as the dog barks and jumps up on Scorp playfully.

"I think that is a yes." Astoria says and kisses our son's head before he starts to play with the puppy letting the other kids pet him.

"I can't believe you got him a puppy." I hear my mother say and stand back up to offer a hand to help my wife up kissing her temple as she leans into my side.

"That's exactly what I said." She says chuckling and moves around me to gather up some of the trash around the table.

I smile and go stand by the fountain with a few of the other father's as we watch the kids run around the back garden chasing the dog. I chuckle Scorpius lays down in the grass and lets the dog runs all over him laughing as he licks his face. I turn when Astoria calls for Scorp to come blow out the candles on his cake and watch as he runs over to stand up in his chair from earlier grinning as everyone sings Happy Birthday. I walk over closer and take a piece of cake from my mother as she helps my wife serve everyone picking up a second plate to take to my father, who is sitting off to the side at a small patio table. I sit down in the chair opposite of him and look over at Scorp trying to feed Zeus a bite of his cake.

"That dog will give you all kinds of trouble." Father says in a disapproving tone that I know all too well and I look at with a sigh shrugging my shoulders.

"Probably but it's what he's been begging for ever since Thea got that kitten." I reply trying not to his attitude bother me and take a bite of the vanilla cake with Astoria's homemade caramel frosting. "Beside he'll be a good mate for Scorp."

"What happened to siblings?" He asks and eats a bite looking at me.

"It's, uh…it's a long story but we've agreed to stop trying..." I mumble and sigh watching as Scorp runs past us with a ball in his hand and the pup at his heels.

"It's incredibly hard to see them go through that pain." Father says gaining my attention and I look over at him to follow his line of sight to my mother who is talking with my wife, sister-in-law, and their pregnant cousin.

I nod and remember that my parents know the pain of losing not just one child but three. "Yes, it is."

I get up to grab a drink from where we set up a buffet style table of side dishes and walk over to Theo and James joining their conversation about the latest Quidditch game. I listen as James retells the story of how the Seeker on his team did this nosedive to catch the Snitch after a twelve hour game and skidded across the grass to come up with the tiny ball clutched in his fist. I laugh as the man reenacts the Seeker's face and shakes his head laughing with us. I take a sip of my Butterbeer and turn when I feel someone's large hand on my shoulder seeing my father there with a concerned look on his face.

"I think you should check on Astoria." He says gesturing over his shoulder to the house and I look past him to not see my wife anywhere outside.

"Why? What happened?" I ask with a frown and step away from my friends leaning closer to my father as he speaks lowly.

"She was talking with her sister and cousin one moment and then the next I noticed she looked pretty upset as she got a piece of cake before she went into the kitchen." He says and I sigh glancing over at my sister-in-law, who is still talking with Claire her two year old son in her arms.

"I'll take care of it." I tell father and thank him patting his back before I climb the few steps to the back porch. I stop to see Astoria through the big window over the sink and sigh as I see her wipe away a tear leaning against the island to pick at a piece of cake on the counter. I walk through the open French doors through the living room to stop at the doorway of the kitchen and take out my wand muttering ' _Orchideous_ ' under my breath. I hold the bouquet of flowers that sprouted from the tip of my wand behind my back as I walk into the kitchen toward my wife and hold out the flowers glad to see that they are her favorites.

"You really would do anything to make me smile, wouldn't you?" Astoria asks reaching to take the flowers to inhale their sweet scent and looks up at me.

"Yes, I would." I say and take one of the light pink roses from the bouquet to tuck the stem behind her hair stroking my thumb along her coloring cheek. "Talk to me, my love."

"It's nothing." She says and presses a kiss to me cheek before stepping away from me to find a vase in the pantry beside the fridge to fill it with water.

"Then why are you in here wiping tears when you should be with your family enjoying your son's sixth birthday?" I ask picking up her fork from the island counter to take a bite of her cake and raise a brow in her direction.

"Draco…" She mutters with a sigh and places the vase in the center of the island arranging the flowers the way I've seen her do hundreds of times.

"Don't 'Draco' me, 'Ria." I say and gently take the hand nearest to me turning her toward me.

"You only call me that when you want something." She says and turns to lean her backside against the island her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"I want you to talk to me, darling." I say and step in front of her placing my hands on either side of her hips to entrap her in my arms. "I can't stand to see you upset and if you don't tell me what's bothering you, I can't fix it."

"You can't fix this one, love." She mumbles and leans forward to rest her head on my shoulder as I gently rub her arms with a sigh. "Daph is pregnant again…"

"Oh…" I whisper frowning as I think of our conversation last night and realize how hard it must be for her to see not only her friends and cousin having babies but her sister having her third child in the past eight years.

"Even though I know she's not, I feel like she's rubbing it in my face and if I say anything it'll just make her feel guilty or me being bitter." Tori says and tilts her head back to look at me with tears in her eyes making me hate that I can't fix this for her.

"I'm so sorry, my love…" I mutter and press a kiss to her forehead feeling her arms come around my waist to hug me close.

"You have no reason to be sorry…it's my body that's the problem." She says her voice muffled by the fabric of my shirt and I lean back to look into her eyes cupping her face.

"Don't say that, Astoria." I say a bit stern and sigh tucking her hair behind the ear that doesn't have the flower. "We agreed last night that we both can't lose another baby and I cannot lose you."

"It just hurts, Dray…" She cries burying her face into my neck and I hold her close against me to feel her hands clutch at the back of my shirt.

"Shhh…I know, baby." I whisper and kiss her head gently rocking with her.

"You never call me baby." She says with a sniff and leans her head back to look up at me her eyes bright emerald from all the emotions.

"I've always thought of you as my baby." I say and gently wipe away the tears on her cheeks leaning own to kiss her softly.

"All your nicknames for me make me feel like yours and like I'm safe." She mumbles against my lips and I feel her lips curve into a smile as her arms come around my neck drawing me closer to her.

I grin and hold her waist close against me with one arm while my free hand tangles in the waves of her hair pulling back to look into her eyes. "I love you so much…"

"I love you too." She whispers and leans more into me with a sigh rubbing her hands along my shoulders. "We do have a lot of guests that will probably start looking for us any minute now."

"Unfortunately you are probably right." I say with a chuckle and kiss her temple wrapping my arm around her shoulders to lead her out of the kitchen. "Come on, we'll go sit in our swing."

I smile as she leans into my side and walks close to me with her arms around my waist. We walk through the French doors and down the porch steps past our families who still are socializing and snacking on the food that's been left out. I nod to my father as another thank you for telling me about Astoria knowing that my parents love her like their own and even though he'd never admit, he cares for her enough to be protect her. I lead my wife past a few of Scorpius' cousins run around playing a game of tag and we end up under a massive oak tree where on one of the bottom branches, we attached a bench swing during the first year of our marriage. I sit down with Tori and she runs her fingers over the carving of our initials on the arm of the swing I did within a week of putting the swing up. I kiss her head as she leans into me looking out over the yard and watch Scorpius run around with his new pup at his heels.

A/N: Okay, so this chapter turned out being more about Draco and Astoria than Scorpius's birthday but it is my take of why they don't have more than one child. I don't yet know where I should go for the next chapter. Any suggestions? Enjoy and review/comment!


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